NCT00176969

Response of Topical Capsaicin in Alopecia Areata

Perifollicular Nerves in Alopecia Areata: Response to Topical Capsaicin

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 4
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 24 (planned)
• Sponsor: University of Minnesota · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 70 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

It has been postulated that Alopecia Areata (AA) is, at least in part, a neurologically mediated disease. Research supporting this theory includes the finding that nerves surrounding the hair follicles are collapsed. We want to take this research a step further and show that not only are these perifollicular nerves collapsed, but that their function is also impaired.

Detailed description

To assess the function of perifollicular scalp nerves in AA we will look at the response of these nerves to the topical medication capsaicin. Under normal circumstances topical capsaicin is known to target nerves in the peripheral nervous system causing short-term release of the neuropeptide Substance P (SP) as well as long-term transient depletion of SP. We expect the AA patients will respond abnormally to topical capsaicin treatment.

Conditions

• Alopecia Areata

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Capsaicin

Timeline

• Start date: 1997-08-01
• Completion: 2000-06-01
• First posted: 2005-09-15
• Last updated: 2014-06-02

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States