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Completed

NCT Number: NCT01006707

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Opioid Withdrawal in Healthy Human Volunteers

Opioid medications are commonly used for pain relief. When given over time, physical dependence can occur. This results in unpleasant side effects--such as agitation and nausea--if opioid medications are suddenly stopped. However, we do not know how withdrawal affects the brain. We know that a medication named Ondansetron can help ease or prevent symptoms associated with opioid withdrawal. Through imaging of the brain by fMRI, we hope to see how opioid withdrawal, with and without the administration of ondansetron, affects brain activity.

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Key information

Conditions

Substance-related Disorders Chemically-Induced Disorders Mental Disorders

Age range

18 year–35 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Stanford University School of Medicine

Stanford, California, 94305, United States

About this study

During the study, each participant attended three separate lab-based acute opioid withdrawal sessions. The first session was undertaken in a mock MRI scanner and was designed to determine if participants could tolerate withdrawal in the scanning environment. Participants who were able to successfully and safely tolerate opioid withdrawal while in the scanner were approved to continue with the following study sessions. Participants were then pretreated intravenously (IV) with either 0.9% normal saline placebo or 8mg ondansetron. Later, participants in all sessions received IV naloxone (10mg/70kg) to precipitate opioid withdrawal. Participants were assigned to ondansetron or placebo pretreatment conditions in a randomized, double-blinded, and counter-balanced order. Objective Opioid Withdrawal Scale (OOWS) and Subjective Opioid Withdrawal Scale (SOWS) were assessed throughout the study to quantify withdrawal. Study timeline progressed as follows: T=-165, 8mg ondansetron or placebo infusion, T=-135, Morphine infusion (10mg/70kg), T=-41 preparation for MRI, T=-21, start MRI, T=-13, baseline OOWS/SOWS, T=-9, start of fMRI, T=0 Naloxone induced withdrawal, T=5, OOWS, T=15, OOWS, T=20, Retrospective OOWS.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients will be healthy male volunteers, ages 18-35.

Exclusion criteria

  • Females were excluded due to menstrual cycle modulation of opioid response.
  • We will exclude individuals with Raynaud's disease or a history of coronary artery disease.

Treatment and study plan

ondansetron

Drug

In this cross-over study, the blinded patient will receive saline placebo in one session and ondansetron in the other. The order is decided with a randomization table. If ondansetron is randomly chosen, an 8mg IV Bolus will be given at the start of the study for 30 minutes by the unblinded investigator.

Other names: Zofran

Primary outcomes

  1. Brain Regions With Increases or Decreases in Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuations (ALFF) Associated With Ondansetron Administration

    Time frame: 36 minutes

    Changes are reporting using Spearman's correlation coefficient, using within-subject factors of time (pre-naloxone, post-naloxone) and pre-treatment (placebo, ondansetron). Changes in Objective Opioid Withdrawal Scale (OOWS) and Subjective Opioid Withdrawal Scale (SOWS) with correlation coefficient >0.45 are reported. The OOWS consists of 13 observable physical symptoms assessed over a 5-minute observation period and scored as present (score of 1) or absent (score of 0). The total OOWS scores is determined by summing the scores of the 13 items. OOWS scores can range from 0 to 13; lower scores correspond to fewer symptoms. SOWS consists of 16 physical and emotional symptoms rated by the participant on a scale from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely), to indicate the extent to which the symptom describes how they are feeling at the time. The total SOWS score is determined by summing the scores of the 16 items. Scores range from 0 to 64; lower scores correspond to fewer symptoms.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Objective Opioid Withdrawal Scale Score 5 Minutes Following Ondansetron or Placebo Administration

    Time frame: 5 Minutes Following Ondansetron or Placebo Administration

    The OOWS consists of 13 observable physical symptoms that are assessed over a five-minute observation period and scored as present (score of 1) or absent (score of 0). The total OOWS scores is determined by summing the scores of the 13 items. OOWS scores can range from a low of 0 to a high of 13. A score of 0 would suggest that no objective signs of withdrawal were observed while a score of 13 would suggest that every observable sign of withdrawal was observed.

  2. Objective Opioid Withdrawal Scale Score 15 Minutes Following Ondansetron or Placebo Administration

    Time frame: 15 Minutes Following Ondansetron or Placebo Administration

    The OOWS consists of 13 observable physical symptoms that are assessed over a five-minute observation period and scored as present (score of 1) or absent (score of 0). The total OOWS scores is determined by summing the scores of the 13 items. OOWS scores can range from a low of 0 to a high of 13. A score of 0 would suggest that no objective signs of withdrawal were observed while a score of 13 would suggest that every observable sign of withdrawal was observed.

  3. Subjective Opioid Withdrawal Scale (SOWS) Score 20 Minutes Following Ondansetron or Placebo Administration

    Time frame: 20 minutes following Ondansetron or Placebo administration

    The SOWS consists of 16 physical and emotional symptoms that are rated by the participant on a scale from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely), to indicate the extent to which the symptom describes how they are feeling at the time. The total SOWS score is determined by summing the scores of the 16 items. Scores range from a low of 0 to a high of 64. A score of 0 would suggest that the individual is experiencing no symptoms of withdrawal while a score of 64 would suggest that the individual is experiencing all 16 symptoms of withdrawal to the fullest extent possible.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Stanford University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

fMRI Imaging of Opioid Withdrawal in Healthy Human Volunteers

Important dates

Study start
2010
Primary completion
2013
Study completion
2013
First posted
Nov 3, 2009
Registry last updated
Nov 17, 2017

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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