Healthy volunteers studied.
Conditions
Interventions
Group 1: Escitalopram, 15mg single dose
Sub-Arm 2 is an electroencephalography (EEG) study in 50 healthy young adult male volunteers.
Each subject receives in addition a structrual MRI scan, ECG, personality questionnaires, blood plasma m
Sponsors
Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich & Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
Male
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: • Age from 18 to 40 years • Male sex • European ancestry • Right-handedness • Written informed consent • Consent to adhere to the study protocol • Ability to adhere to the study protocol
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: • Serious past or present brain disease, brain injury or brain surgery • Any neurological or psychiatric disorders (past or present) • Nicotine/tobacco use of more than 10 cigarettes per week, or equivalent • Current use of recreational drugs • History of alcohol and/or drug abuse • Any current severe medical condition • Currently taking medication of any kind • Allergy to lactose (placebo) or to escitalopram • Tachycardia >100 bpm, cardiac arrhythmia and/or QTc time >430 ms • History of severe kidney or liver disorder • Pacemaker, neurostimulator or any other head or heart implants • Any breathing difficulties • Claustrophobia • Dependence on a hearing aid • Bald head or dreadlocks (EEG only) • Inability to sit still (EEG) or lie still (MRI) for the duration of the experiment (sneezing, coughing, itching, trembling, twitching, pain, etc.) • Subjects with MRI-incompatible metal parts in the body • Possibility of the presence of any metal fragments in the body (e.g., metal splinters, ballistic wounds, shrapnel or surgical clips)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| To obtain non-invasive measures of behaviour, fMRI and EEG which allow us to determine, using mathematical analysis, the dependence of goal-directed decision-making on levels of serotonin. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| In addition, to examine how this dependence is influenced by individual differences in personality and serotonin-relevant genetic polymorphisms. | — |
Countries
Switzerland
Contacts
Public ContactDavid Cole
Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institut for Biomedical Engineering, University Zurich & Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich
Outcome results
None listed