NCT04895033

Brain Responses to Contextual Influences on Drinking Decisions

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 52 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Kansas Medical Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 21 Years – 55 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study is using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine brain activity associated with making decisions about drinking alcohol in everyday situations, some of which may involve important activities happening the next day. The secondary aims are to determine whether severity of alcohol-related problems is related to brain activity and alcohol choices and to examine how different areas of the brain interact in connected networks.

Detailed description

The overall objective of this study is to examine brain activity associated with making decisions about drinking alcohol in everyday situations, some of which may involve important activities happening the next day. The secondary aims are to determine whether severity of alcohol-related problems is related to brain activity and alcohol choices and to examine how different areas of the brain interact in connected networks. The study involves two testing sessions -- a baseline interview conducted virtually or in-person, and a MRI scanning session at University of Kansas Medical Center. Participants (N=80, 50% female, age 21-55) are community adults who report drinking alcohol in excess of NIAAA-recommended weekly drinking limits (i.e., heavy drinkers who consume 14/7+ drinks per week for men/women). Participants will complete hypothetical alcohol purchase tasks during the MRI scan with two conditions being examined. A control condition involves a typical drinking situation with no explicit responsibilities. An experimental condition involves a hypothetical situation with important personally-relevant responsibilities the next day (e.g., a presentation at work, an exam, or caregiving responsibilities).

Conditions

• Alcohol Drinking

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Responsibility condition	During the fMRI scan, participants will complete alcohol purchase task paradigm for hypothetical alcohol rewards under two conditions. In the next-day responsibility condition, we will present a vignette describing a drinking scenario in which participants have a significant activity the next day (e.g., a work, family, or academic obligation the next morning) and participants are asked to imagine they are deciding how much they want to drink in this situation. The control condition will use a vignette describing a typical drinking scenario with no explicit responsibilities the next day

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-02-01
• Primary completion: 2025-07-31
• Completion: 2025-07-31
• First posted: 2021-05-20
• Last updated: 2025-11-14

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States