Background:
- Brain inflammation due to high alcohol intake may affect thinking, memory, and
concentration. Researchers want to measure this using positron emission tomography (PET).
Objective:
- To study how excessive alcohol consumption affects brain function.
Eligibility:
- Adults 30-75 years old who are moderate or severe alcohol drinkers.
- Healthy volunteers.
Design:
- Participants will be screened with medical history, physical exam, interview, and blood
and urine tests. Their breath will be tested for alcohol and recent smoking.
- Phase 1:
- Participants will stay in the hospital 3 days. They will have blood and heart tests and
daily urine tests.
- A small plastic tube will be inserted by needle in each arm. One will go in a vein, the
other in an artery.
- Participants will have 2 PET scans with 2 different radioactive compounds. Participants
will lie on a bed that slides in and out of the scanner with a cap on their head.
- Participants will have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Participants will lie in
the scanner either resting with their eyes open or while performing an attention task.
- Participants will have tests of memory, attention, concentration, and thinking. They may
answer questions, take tests, and perform simple actions.
- Phase 2 of the study will only be done if Phase 1 results show brain inflammation.
- Phase 2 will repeat Phase 1.
- For healthy volunteers, Phase 2 will begin 3 weeks after Phase 1.
- Other volunteers must not have alcohol for at least 3 weeks and stay in a hospital up to
4-6 weeks between Phase 1 and Phase 2. After Phase 2, they will have 5 follow-up calls
over 3 months.
Phase:
Early Phase 1
Details
Lead Sponsor:
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)