This study is designed to test the hypothesis that ecopipam is able to reduce urges to gamble in patients diagnosed with Pathological Gambling.
The purpose of this study is to determine if ecopipam is able to stop urges to gamble in patients diagnosed with Pathological Gambling. Nerves communicate with each other by releasing chemicals called "neurotransmitters". One of these neurotransmitters in the brain is called "dopamine". After dopamine is released by the nerve it "talks" to other nerves by interacting with receptors that are unique to that neurotransmitter. Ecopipam is a drug that selectively blocks one family of dopamine receptors. Some scientists believe that the urge to gamble is related to having too much dopamine in the brain. By blocking the receptors that dopamine uses, ecopipam may be able to relieve the urge to gamble.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
34
50mg tablets
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, United States
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa, United States
University of Minnesota School of Medicine
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Statistically Significant (p<0.05) Decrease From Baseline in Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale Modified for Pathological Gambling
This scale assesses the severity of gambling urges and gambling behaviors. The study anticipates that there will be a reduction in either or both of these assessments. The range is from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 40, where zero means no gambling urges occurred.
Time frame: Baseline and 6 weeks
Type, Frequency and Severity of Side Effects
All side effects of the drug will be monitored and recorded
Time frame: 6 weeks
Statistically Significant Changes in the Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale
It is expected that there will be decreases in this scale
Time frame: 6 weeks
Effects on the Clinical Global Impression
Clinician's Global Impression is used assess severity and changes in clinical symptoms during and at the end of the study
Time frame: 6 weeks
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