NCT01634347

Memory Reconsolidation Blockade for Treating Drug Addiction

Memory Reconsolidation Blockade for Treating Drug Addiction: a Feasibility Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 17 (actual)
• Sponsor: Douglas Mental Health University Institute · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The treatment involves administering propranolol, a medication indicated for treating high blood pressure. Propranolol is hypothesized to reduce the strength of drug or alcohol cravings (an integral factor involved in relapse), specifically when memories of substance use are recalled. In this study, propranolol or a placebo will be administered to patients participating in a drug or alcohol rehabilitation facility once a week over three or six weeks. After receiving propranolol or placebo, strong memories associated with substance craving are recalled by asking participants to read aloud a summary of a substance use experience. The investigators hypothesize that participants who receive propranolol will report fewer and less intense drug or alcohol cravings than participants who receive the placebo or treatment-as-usual.

Detailed description

Trial Objectives: To test the feasibility of reconsolidation blockade as an adjunct treatment for reducing drug or alcohol cravings in individuals diagnosed with a substance dependence or substance abuse disorder and participating in a drug rehabilitation program. Study Design and Duration: This study will be a 3 to 6 week, randomized, double-blind trial involving participants with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of substance dependence or abuse. Consented participants meeting enrolment criteria will receive a dose of propranolol (1mg/kg) or placebo ninety minutes before undergoing a brief memory reactivation procedure twice a week for a three-week period (or once a week for a six week period, depending on the participants availability) as an adjunct to their usual drug rehabilitation treatment. Participants will be randomized to one of two treatment arms (i.e. placebo group + treatment as usual, or propranolol group + treatment as usual) and remain in that arm for the duration of the study. Participants from the placebo arm will be offered the opportunity to continue receive open-label propranolol treatment for another 3-6 weeks following the double-blind phase of the study. A four-month follow-up assessment will also be conducted.

Conditions

• Substance Dependence

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Propranolol and memory reactivation	Propranolol will be administered once a week for a 3 or 6 week period. Each propranolol administration will be followed by memory reactivation.
DRUG	Placebo and memory reactivation	Placebo will be administered once a week for a 3 or 6 week period. Each placebo administration will be followed by memory reactivation.

Timeline

• Start date: 2012-01-01
• Primary completion: 2014-05-01
• Completion: 2014-05-01
• First posted: 2012-07-06
• Last updated: 2017-05-15

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: Canada