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Differential Responses to Drugs and Sweet Tastes

Hypomania, Amphetamine, and Preferences for Sweets

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03810703
Acronym
HAP
Enrollment
93
Registered
2019-01-22
Start date
2017-02-09
Completion date
2018-08-09
Last updated
2023-02-22

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

Conditions

Bipolar II Disorder

Brief summary

Young adults who exhibit bipolar phenotype (BPP), defined as occasional episodes of mood elevation and heightened activity, are at risk for several psychiatric disorders, including problem use of drugs and alcohol. Mood elevation has been linked to higher alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorders. Individuals with BPP show elevated lifetime prevalence of alcohol use disorders (between 39%-61%), figures that exceed those reported in both major depression and schizophrenia. Recently, the investigators demonstrated in a controlled laboratory study that individuals with BPP (but not meeting criteria for full Bipolar I Disorder), report dampened responses to a single dose of alcohol, compared to placebo. In the current study, the investigators seek to extend these findings to determine if young adults reporting BPP, based on a questionnaire, will exhibit reduced responses to other rewarding stimuli, such as d-amphetamine and sweet tastes. The investigators hypothesize that the BPP individuals will exhibit dampened subjective responses to stimulant and sweet taste rewards compared to healthy controls.

Detailed description

This study will extend the understanding of risk factors for drug or alcohol misuse, or other reward-related behaviors. The investigators previously showed that individuals who report occasional feelings of high energy and excitability experience less effect from a single dose of alcohol, compared to people who have not experienced these effects. Now the investigators wish to determine if this dampened response also occurs with other rewards, namely feelings of wellbeing after a dose of amphetamine, or liking of a sweet solution. Individuals who exhibit the BPP (i.e., periods of excitability) also are more likely to develop alcohol problems, substance misuse, and weight gain and obesity. Therefore, the investigators will test the working hypothesis that young adults who report having these experiences, based on a questionnaire measure (i.e., BPP individuals) will show dampened subjective responses to both single oral doses of amphetamine or sweet palatable tastes. The investigators will also obtain objective measures (e.g. Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia and heart rate) to amphetamine and sweet taste, to establish whether the dampened subjective response extends to physiological indices as well. This study will extend the previous literature regarding the blunted effects of alcohol in BPP individuals and will suggest possible mechanisms that promote broader addictive behaviors in individuals with mood disturbance. Importantly, the investigators are proposing to test individuals at a relatively young age, 18-19 years. This is important to identify a risk factor, that is thought to pre-date use of drugs. In older participants, it would be difficult to separate the role of the pre-existing trait from the effect of habitual drug or alcohol use that escalates markedly after age 20.

Interventions

DRUGPlacebo oral capsule

Placebo oral capsule

DRUGd-amphetamine 10 mg oral capsule

d-amphetamine 10 mg oral capsule

DRUGd-amphetamine 20 mg oral capsule

d-amphetamine 20 mg oral capsule

Sponsors

University of Chicago
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Intervention model description

Study will track participants in two assigned groups (participants that exhibit either High or Low Bipolar II/Hypomanic phenotypes)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 19 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Aged 18-19 years old * BMI of 19-26 * Physical/EKG/Medical History/Medications Approved by Physician for d-amphetamine * at least High School education * Fluent in English

Exclusion criteria

* No Current Mood, Anxiety, Eating or Psychotic Disorder * No current psychotropic medication * No Recent Drug Dependence * \< 4 alcoholic drinks/day for males; \< 3 alcoholic drinks/day for females (monthly average) * No weekly (or more frequent) illicit drug use * No women who are pregnant, nursing, or planning pregnancy within 3 months (birth control is okay)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).End of study (Baseline - time 0 and approximately 4 weeks later)Participants will complete The Drug Effects Questionnaire during the initial baseline session to determine their subjective stimulant profile. The Dug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ) is a visual analog scale questionnaire that assesses the extent to which subjects experience four subjective states: Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More. All sub-scales are scored on a visual analogue scale (Scroll bar on computer screen) ranging from 0-100. 100 represents the highest score for that subjective state, and the higher the score, the worse the outcome.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Placebo Arm
Participant will receive placebo oral capsule during this four hour session. Placebo oral capsule: Placebo oral capsule
31
Amphetamine 10 mg Arm
Participant will receive d-amphetamine 10 mg oral capsule during this four hour session. d-amphetamine 10 mg oral capsule: d-amphetamine 10 mg oral capsule
31
Amphetamine 20 mg Arm
Participant will receive d-amphetamine 20 mg oral capsule during this four hour session. d-amphetamine 20 mg oral capsule: d-amphetamine 20 mg oral capsule
31
Total93

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicPlacebo ArmAmphetamine 10 mg ArmAmphetamine 20 mg ArmTotal
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
31 Participants31 Participants31 Participants93 Participants
Education - High School Education31 Participants31 Participants31 Participants93 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
2 Participants2 Participants2 Participants6 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
4 Participants4 Participants4 Participants12 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
1 Participants1 Participants1 Participants3 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
24 Participants24 Participants24 Participants72 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
31 participants31 participants31 participants93 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
13 Participants13 Participants13 Participants39 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
18 Participants18 Participants18 Participants54 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
EG002
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 310 / 310 / 31
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 310 / 310 / 31
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 310 / 310 / 31

Outcome results

Primary

Change in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).

Participants will complete The Drug Effects Questionnaire during the initial baseline session to determine their subjective stimulant profile. The Dug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ) is a visual analog scale questionnaire that assesses the extent to which subjects experience four subjective states: Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More. All sub-scales are scored on a visual analogue scale (Scroll bar on computer screen) ranging from 0-100. 100 represents the highest score for that subjective state, and the higher the score, the worse the outcome.

Time frame: End of study (Baseline - time 0 and approximately 4 weeks later)

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Placebo ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).High17.50 score on a scaleStandard Error 5.5
Placebo ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).Dislike19.00 score on a scaleStandard Error 5.96
Placebo ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).Feel18.88 score on a scaleStandard Error 8.84
Placebo ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).Like37.44 score on a scaleStandard Error 7.64
Placebo ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).More29.19 score on a scaleStandard Error 7.56
Amphetamine 10 mg ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).Dislike27.19 score on a scaleStandard Error 6.47
Amphetamine 10 mg ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).Feel35.25 score on a scaleStandard Error 4.46
Amphetamine 10 mg ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).Like50.69 score on a scaleStandard Error 7.82
Amphetamine 10 mg ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).High24.88 score on a scaleStandard Error 5.48
Amphetamine 10 mg ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).More45.38 score on a scaleStandard Error 7.66
Amphetamine 20 mg ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).More52.44 score on a scaleStandard Error 8.4
Amphetamine 20 mg ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).High32.69 score on a scaleStandard Error 8.68
Amphetamine 20 mg ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).Feel45.75 score on a scaleStandard Error 8.23
Amphetamine 20 mg ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).Dislike16.25 score on a scaleStandard Error 5.15
Amphetamine 20 mg ArmChange in Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on Feel Drug, Feel High, Like Drug, and Want More Sub-scales of Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ).Like52.81 score on a scaleStandard Error 8.96

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026