Study of the Effects of Mecamylamine and Varenicline in Schizophrenia
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2013-01-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
We are conducting this study to find out if blocking or partially stimulating the effects of
nicotine in the brain can affect memory and concentration. Nicotine is the addictive drug
found in tobacco products. Our subjects will be people with and without mental illness
(schizophrenia), smokers and non-smokers.
We will use a medication called mecamylamine (Inversine) to block the effects of nicotine on
the brains of our subjects. We will also use a medication called varenicline (Chantix) to
partially increase the effects of nicotine on the brains of our subjects. This study also
uses a placebo, a pill that does not have any active ingredients but looks exactly like the
mecamylamine and varenicline pills. We will compare the effects of giving mecamylamine or
placebo to people who have schizophrenia and people who do not have schizophrenia.
We know that people with schizophrenia smoke heavily and find it harder to stop smoking than
most other people do. Studies have shown that people with schizophrenia may smoke more
because nicotine helps their concentration and memory. We are interested in helping people
with schizophrenia smoke less. Mecamylamine blocks the parts of the brain that react to
nicotine and varenicline partially stimulates and partially blocks the parts of the brain
that react to nicotine. Both medications may decrease the effects that smoking has on the
body.
Phase:
N/A
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Massachusetts General Hospital
Collaborators:
National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression The Bowman Family Foundation