Naltrexone for Anxiety
(SSO Trial)

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

+2 other locations

Overseen byNaomi Eisenberger, Ph.D.

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Phase < 1

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

University of California, Los Angeles researchers will recruit healthy participants (age 18-35) to participate in a study examining whether the administration of naltrexone, an opioid antagonist, eliminates the ability of social support figure reminders to enhance fear extinction--a process during which a threatening cue is learned to not predict a negative or threatening outcome (i.e., electric shock) by being repeatedly presented in the absence of that outcome. After undergoing an email screening, a telephone screening, an in lab screening, and a health screening, 60 participants will be enrolled in the study. During the experiment, 30 participants will be administered naltrexone and 30 participants will be administered placebo (both participants and experimenters will be blind to condition) before undergoing a fear extinction procedure in which threatening cues--cues that predict electric shock--will be paired with either an image of a social support figure (provided by participants) or a second threatening cue. These pairings will be presented repeatedly in the absence of shock in order for fear extinction to occur. Participants will return for a follow-up test to determine if fear extinction was successful.

Research Team

Naomi Eisenberger, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

University of California, Los Angeles

Eligibility Criteria

Healthy adults aged 18-35 with no history of mental illness or chronic physical conditions, not pregnant, and without liver disease. Participants must be fluent in English and comfortable swallowing pills. Those with a history of substance abuse or on certain medications are excluded.

Inclusion Criteria

Healthy adults aged 18 to 35

No history of mental illness (including anxiety, depression, phobia, or any other mental health related disorder diagnosed by a mental health professional)

Fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria

Chronic physical illness (as determined by past diagnosis and/or treatment by a physician)

History of liver disease or abnormal liver function

Pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the experiment period

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Treatment Details

Interventions

Naltrexone (Opioid Antagonist)
Placebo (Behavioural Intervention)

Trial OverviewThe study is testing if naltrexone blocks the positive effects of social support during fear extinction training. Half will receive naltrexone, half a placebo, before being exposed to cues associated with an electric shock alongside images of social support figures.

Participant Groups

2Treatment groups

Active Control

Placebo Group

Group I: NaltrexoneActive Control1 Intervention

Group II: PlaceboPlacebo Group1 Intervention

Naltrexone is already approved in United States, European Union, Canada for the following indications:

🇺🇸 Approved in United States as Vivitrol for: