Dopaminergic Mechanisms Underlying Human Social Behavior

• Status: Recruiting
• Trial end date: 2023-12-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Developing theoretical, quantitative models of the basic cognitive mechanisms underlying human social decision-making, and understanding the influence of neuromodulators such as dopamine on these mechanisms, has important ramifications for both healthy and patient populations. In this proposal we combine quantitative social measures, computational models, neuroimaging, and a pharmacological intervention to define the mechanisms of social decision-making.

• Phase: Early Phase 1
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of California, Berkeley
• Collaborators: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; University of California, San Francisco
• Treatments: Dopamine; Dopamine Agonists; Tolcapone

Criteria

Inclusion criteria:

• Ages 18-40 and right-handed

• Able to provide written informed consent

• Normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity

• General good health as determined for tolcapone studies by screening provider (Dr. Kayser, Dr.Jagust, or other approved, licensed clinician)

Exclusion criteria:

• Regular and/or scheduled use of other neuro- or psycho-active medications

• Severe low blood pressure or uncontrolled high blood pressure

• IQ < 70 as assessed by the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR)

• History of mild, moderate, or severe traumatic brain injury

• History of brain surgery (i.e. violating brain parenchyma) or penetrating brain injury

• Active alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse by DSM-IV-TR criteria (within previous 30 days)

• Active substance dependence or substance abuse by DSM-IV-TR criteria (excluding nicotine, but including marijuana, opiates, stimulants (cocaine, amphetamines), and hallucinogens within previous 30 days)

• History of suicide attempt (last 5 years)

• Clinically severe medical illness requiring treatment

• History of brain tumor, stroke, demyelinating disease, encephalitis, or cerebral aneurysm rupture

• Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or other primary neurodegenerative disorder

• Schizophrenia or other psychiatric disturbances

For Subjects Undergoing fMRI Scanning:

• Contraindications to MRI (e.g. unremovable ferromagnetic metals, claustrophobia)

• Inability to complete basic fMRI requirements (e.g. to make button presses and to minimize movement < 5mm)

• Women of childbearing potential take a urine pregnancy test prior to scanning.

For Tolcapone Experiments:

• Contraindications to tolcapone use, including liver function tests elevated more than 2.5 times above normal ranges, pregnancy, previous adverse reaction to tolcapone, significant liver or kidney impairment

• Current use (within previous 30 days) of pharmacological agents with dopaminergic actions, including but not limited to levodopa/carbidopa, entacapone, tolcapone, amantadine, bromocriptine, pergolide, pramipexole, ropinirole, selegeline, isocarboxazid, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, ziprasidone, aripiprazole, fluphenazine, haloperidol, perphenazine, pimozide, thiothixene, trifluoperazine, loxapine, molindone, chlorpromazine, mesoridazine, thioridazine, promethazine, dextroamphetamine, dexmethylphenidate, dextroamphetamine, or methylphenidate