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Phase 2 N=46 Randomized Double-blind Treatment

Neural Substrates in Nicotine Withdrawal

Tobacco Use Disorder

Enrolled (actual)
46
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Jul 2014
Primary outcome: Primary: Measure of Brain Activity: Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) fMRI Signal Change During the "N-back" Working Memory Task (Brain Region: Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex; Right DLPFC) — 0.27; 0.27 BOLD signal — p=0.88

Study Design & Population

Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2
Interventions
Tolcapone (Drug); Placebo (Drug)
Age
Adult, Older Adult · 18+ yrs
Sex
All
Sponsor
University of Pennsylvania
Primary completion
Oct 2012

Outcome Measures

OutcomeResultp-value
PRIMARY
Measure of Brain Activity: Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) fMRI Signal Change During the "N-back" Working Memory Task (Brain Region: Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex; Right DLPFC)
0.27; 0.27 0.88
PRIMARY
Measure of Brain Activity: Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) fMRI Signal Change During the "N-back" Working Memory Task (Brain Region: Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex; Left DLPFC)
0.32; 0.28 0.18
PRIMARY
Measure of Brain Activity: Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) fMRI Signal Change During the "N-back" Working Memory Task (Brain Region: Dorsal Cingulate/Medial Prefrontal Cortex; MF/CG)
0.39; 0.37 0.67
PRIMARY
Measure of Brain Activity: Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) fMRI Signal Change During the "N-back" Working Memory Task (Brain Region: Posterior Cingulate Cortex; PCC)
-0.34; -0.33 0.98
PRIMARY
Measure of Brain Activity: Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) fMRI Signal Change During the "N-back" Working Memory Task (Brain Region: Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex; vmPFC)
-0.29; -0.45 0.002 sig
SECONDARY
Cognitive Performance: Accuracy
49.9; 51.8 0.017 sig
SECONDARY
Cognitive Performance: Reaction Time
518; 520 0.88
SECONDARY
Subjective Symptoms: Smoking Behavior
14.2; 14.3 0.85
SECONDARY
Subjective Symptoms: Cigarette Craving
40.5; 42.0 0.40
SECONDARY
Subjective Symptoms: Withdrawal Symptoms
10.9; 10.0 0.43

Summary

This study will test the hypothesis that a medication called tolcapone (Brand Name: Tasmar) will help reduce cognitive problems that smokers experience when they quit. This study will also determine whether the benefits of this medication differ depending on a smokers' genetic background.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Smokers who are between 18 and 65 years of age who self-report smoking at least 10 cigarettes (menthol and non-menthol) per day for at least the last 6 months.
  • Healthy as determined by the Study Physician, based on a medical evaluation including medical history and physical examination, psychiatric evaluation, and liver function tests (LFTs and GGT enzyme levels).
  • Capable of giving written informed consent, which includes compliance with the requirements and restrictions listed in the combined consent and HIPAA form.
  • Women of childbearing potential must consent to use a medically accepted method of birth control while participating in the study (e.g., condoms and spermicide, oral contraceptive, Depo-provera injection, contraceptive patch, tubal ligation) and have 3 months of regular menstrual cycles.
  • Capable of providing a Carbon Monoxide (CO) breath test reading greater than 10 parts per million (ppm) at the medical screening visit.

Exclusion Criteria

Smoking behavior

  • Current enrollment or plans to enroll in another research or smoking cessation program in the next 3 months.
  • Provide a CO reading less than or equal to 10ppm at the medical screening visit.
  • Plans to use nicotine substitutes (gum, patch, lozenge, e-cigarette) while enrolled in the study.

Alcohol/Drug Exclusion:

  • History (past 2 years) or current diagnosis of substance abuse and/or currently receiving treatment for substance abuse (alcohol, THC, cocaine, PCP, amphetamines, methamphetamines, MDMA/ecstasy, opiates, methadone, benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, and barbiturates).
  • Current alcohol consumption that exceeds 21 standard drinks/week over the last 6 months.
  • Positive urine drug screen (for substances listed previously) at the medical screening visit or either testing day.
  • Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC) assessment greater than or equal to 0.01 at medical screening visit or either testing day.

Medication Exclusion Criteria:

Current use or recent discontinuation (within last 28 days) of any medication including the following:

  • Any form of psychotropic medications including: Antipsychotics; Mood-stabilizers (e.g., lithium, valproic acid, carbamazepine/tegretol); Anti-depressants (tricyclics, SSRI's, MAOI's, non-selective MAOIs, Wellbutrin, St. John's Wort); Anti-anxiety/Anti-panic agents; Anti-obsessive agents; Prescription stimulants (e.g., Provigil, Ritalin); Diet Pills/Anorectics; Systemic Steroids; Daily medication for chronic pain (e.g., opiates) or muscle spasms; Daily use of over the counter stimulants in pill form (e.g., ephedrine)
  • Anti-coagulants (e.g., Warfarin)
  • Any heart medications (e.g., dobutamine, isoproterenol)
  • Daily medication for asthma
  • Parkinson's disease medications (e.g., levodopa, methyldopa, apomorphine)
  • Sympathomimetic (e.g., albuterol, pseudoephedrine)
  • Other smoking cessation medications (Wellbutrin/Zyban, Chantix/varenicline)

Medical Exclusion Criteria:

  • Women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy within the next 3 months, or lactating.
  • History or current diagnosis of any Axis 1 disorder as identified by the MINI (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview) or self-report. For major depression, only a current diagnosis will be exclusionary.
  • History or current diagnosis of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
  • Serious or unstable disease (e.g., cancer within the past 6 months [except squamous cell carcinoma], HIV, Parkinson's disease).
  • History of epilepsy or a seizure disorder.
  • History or current diagnosis (last 6-months) of abnormal rhythms and/or tachycardia (>100 beats/minute); history or current diagnosis of COPD, cardiovascular disease (stroke, angina, coronary heart disease); heart attack in the last 6 months; uncontrolled hypertension (SBP>150 or DBP>90).
  • History or current kidney and/or liver failure (including transplant), disease, or impairment (e.g., cirrhosis); history or current diagnosis of hepatitis (excluding hepa
View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01001520). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.

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