Epinephrine and Cortisol in Depression

The Effects of Epinephrine and Cortisol on Emotion in Depression

Status

Withdrawn

Phases

Early Phase 1

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT04148261

Enrollment

Registered

2019-11-01

Start date

2020-12-31

Completion date

2022-12-31

Last updated

2021-10-06

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

Conditions

Depression

Brief summary

This study investigates the effects of two hormones called epinephrine and cortisol on how the brain processes emotional material using functional MRI to measure brain activity. The study hopes to learn how epinephrine and cortisol affect the brain differently in depressed and non-depressed individuals.

Interventions

DRUGHydrocortisone Acetate (CORT)

Participants will receive a single dose of hydrocortisone at a dosage of 0.65 mg/kg

DRUGEpinephrine Sulfate (EPI)

Participants will receive a continuous infusion of epinephrine at a dosage of 80 ng/kg/min

DRUGPlacebo (PLB)

Participants will receive a placebo

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

CROSSOVER

Primary purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

21 Years to 55 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Weight of less than 280 pounds * HAM-D Score of greater than 7 for depression participants

Exclusion criteria

* Psychotropic medications * Recent surgery * Endocrine disorders * Liver disease * Kidney disease * Thyroid disorder * History of malaria * Tuberculosis * Osteoporosis * Glaucoma or cataracts * Chronic expressed infections (herpes, HIV, etc) * History of congestive heart failure * History of recurring seizures * Stomach ulcers * Comorbid psychosis * Current use of illicit drugs * Diabetes * Any cardiovascular disease (angina, hypovolemia, coronary artery disease, low/high blood pressure, etc) * Any pulmonary disease * Any cerebrovascular disease * Sulfate hypersensitivity * Glaucoma * Infection * Pregnancy * Parkinson's Disease * Panic Disorder * Over 280 pounds in weight * In-dwelling ferrous metals * Left handed * Abnormal hearing * Claustrophobic * Head injury with loss of consciousness * Active suicidal ideation

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Sadness-induced subgenual cingulate activity as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging	2 hours

Outcome results

None listed

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