NCT05942521

Effects of Subconscious Memory Extinction in Patients With Alcohol Dependence and Its Mechanism

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 90 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Shenzhen Kangning Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

In this study, the subconscious memory extinction therapy based on very brief exposure is used to intervene to reduce the alcohol craving of alcohol-dependent patients, prevent relapse, and observe the psychological craving, heart rate, skin conductance, and pupil diameter changes of the patients during the brief exposure extinction. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Whether subconscious extinction intervention would reduce psychological craving and alcohol relapse? 2. What is the mechanism of subconscious extinction intervention in alcohol dependence?

Detailed description

After being informed about the study and potential risks, all patients giving written informed consent will undergo a screening period to determine eligibility for study entry. patients who meet the eligibility requirements will be randomized in very brief extinction, clearly visible extinction, or very brief neutral extinction. This study will recruit alcohol-dependent participants aged 18-60 in the ward, observe reported subjective scores during the extinction, and record the heart rate, skin conductance, pupil diameter, and ERP changes.

Conditions

• Alcohol Use Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Very brief extinction	The very brief extinction presents a very short (33ms) repetitive sequence of alcohol cues, followed by a "masking" stimulus(117ms), which masks the alcohol cues. In the case of repeated exposure to alcohol stimulation, the response to the stimulation is desensitized at the level of unconscious processing.
BEHAVIORAL	Clearly visible extinction	The clearly visible extinction presents a repetitive sequence of alcohol cues(150ms) without a "masking" stimulus. In the case of repeat exposure to alcohol stimulation, the response to the stimulation is desensitized at the level of conscious processing.
BEHAVIORAL	Very brief neutral extinction	The very brief neutral extinction presents a very short (33ms) repetitive sequence of neutral cues, followed by a "masking" stimulus(117ms), which masks the neutral cues. In the case of repeated exposure to neutral stimulation, the response to the stimulation is desensitized at the level of unconscious processing.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-07-20
• Primary completion: 2024-12-01
• Completion: 2024-12-01
• First posted: 2023-07-12
• Last updated: 2023-10-16

Locations

1 site across 1 country: China