Phase 2
N=46
Neural Substrates in Nicotine Withdrawal
Tobacco Use Disorder
Bottom Line
View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01001520 ↗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
| Outcome | Result | p-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
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.