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Behavioral Therapy + Memantine for Skin Picking Disorder

Phase 2 & 3

Recruiting

Led By Gregory Chasson, PhD

Research Sponsored by University of Chicago

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

Current DSM-5 diagnosis of trichotillomania (TTM) or skin picking disorder (SPD)

Be older than 18 years old

Must not have

Cognitive impairment that interferes with the capacity to understand and self-administer medication or provide written informed consent

Unstable medical illness based on history or clinically significant abnormalities on baseline physical examination

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up 20 weeks

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

"This trial aims to compare the effectiveness of behavioral treatment to memantine, a medication, for individuals with trichotillomania or skin picking disorder. Participants will undergo 8 weeks of memantine

Who is the study for?

This trial is for adults 18+ with Trichotillomania or Skin Picking Disorder who can consent to participate. They must have a stable medication dose for the past 3 months and meet certain diagnostic criteria.

What is being tested?

The study compares behavioral therapy (ComB) with Memantine, a drug, in treating Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors over 16 weeks. It tests if ComB leads to better outcomes than Memantine or if both show improvements.

What are the potential side effects?

Memantine may cause dizziness, headache, confusion, constipation, or high blood pressure. Behavioral therapy typically does not have physical side effects but can sometimes cause emotional discomfort.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below

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I have been diagnosed with a disorder that makes me pull out my hair or pick my skin.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:

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I can understand and manage my medication, and I can give informed consent.

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I do not have any unstable illnesses or significant health issues found in a recent physical exam.

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I am not pregnant, breastfeeding, and I use effective birth control.

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I have tried a behavior therapy like ComB or habit reversal before.

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I have been treated with memantine before.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ 20 weeks

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~20 weeks

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 20 weeks for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

National Institutes of Mental Health Symptom Severity Scale (for trichotillomania or Skin Picking) (NIMH-TSS or NIMH-SPS)

Secondary study objectives

Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS)

Clinical Global Impressions -- Improvement Scale (CGI-I)

Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A)

+5 more

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

1Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Group I: Memantine and Behavioral TherapyExperimental Treatment2 Interventions

All subjects will receive 8-weeks of memantine treatment (10mg po qday for the first two weeks, then 20 mg po qday for the remaining six weeks). After the 8-weeks of memantine treatment, the dose will be discontinued. Then, after a 4-week washout period, all subjects will receive 8-weeks of ComB therapy. Therapy will be once a week for 30 minutes. After the 8-weeks of ComB treatment, the therapy will be discontinued.

Treatment

First Studied

Drug Approval Stage

How many patients have taken this drug

Memantine

2006

Completed Phase 4

~1180

0 / 6Eligibility criteria met