Exploring the Psychoactive Effects of Paracetamol: A parallel group, basic science, double blind, two armed study, to investigate potential emotional and cognitive effects of paracetamol (tablet form) compared to a placebo (tablet form) in healthy male and female participants between ages 18 and 30.

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phases

Phase 4

Study type

Interventional

Source

EU CTIS

Registry ID

CTIS2025-522753-19-02

Enrollment

Registered

2026-01-27

Start date

Unknown

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2026-01-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Healthy adults aged 18-30.

Brief summary

• Self-reported negative affect as measured with PANAS over the intervention period.

Detailed description

To assess whether paracetamol affects neurophysiological functioning in general and specifically related to emotion processing and stress, and if paracetamol affects anxiety, stress, depression and insomnia symptoms over the study period., • Self-reported positive affect as measured with PANAS over the intervention period., Anxiety score (BAI-II) measured on the 7th day, Depression score (BDI-II) measured on the 7th day, Perceived stress scale (PSS score) measured on the 7th day, Sleep, measured by Pittsburg Sleep Scale (PSQ-I score) on the 7th day, EEG: LPP response to emotional stimuli measured in the Emotional Interrupt Task, EEG: Resting state EEG dynamics Self-reported and evoked physiological stress response in the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST)., Biomarkers: Change of IL-6 and IL-8 during intervention period.

Interventions

DRUGParacetamol Norfri 500 mg filmdrasjerte tabletter.

DRUGPlacebo

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 64 Years

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
• Self-reported negative affect as measured with PANAS over the intervention period.	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
To assess whether paracetamol affects neurophysiological functioning in general and specifically related to emotion processing and stress, and if paracetamol affects anxiety, stress, depression and insomnia symptoms over the study period., • Self-reported positive affect as measured with PANAS over the intervention period., Anxiety score (BAI-II) measured on the 7th day, Depression score (BDI-II) measured on the 7th day, Perceived stress scale (PSS score) measured on the 7th day, Sleep, measured by Pittsburg Sleep Scale (PSQ-I score) on the 7th day, EEG: LPP response to emotional stimuli measured in the Emotional Interrupt Task, EEG: Resting state EEG dynamics Self-reported and evoked physiological stress response in the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST)., Biomarkers: Change of IL-6 and IL-8 during intervention period.	—

Measure

Time frame

—

Countries

Norway

Outcome results

None listed

Source: EU CTIS · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026