In this study, the investigators are looking at how people make decisions about reward-related items, both monetary and food related after taking either the dopamine agonist bromocriptine or the COMT inhibitor tolcapone, in healthy control subjects. Subjects will fill self-report questionnaires and undergo an MRI scan.
The investigators aim to understand how the brain's dopamine system impacts monetary and food-related decision making. The investigators aim to use tolcapone and bromocriptine due to the temporary change in the levels of dopamine in the brain. The investigators also aim to determine if genetics, personality traits, or a family history of alcoholism change how these drugs affect decision making.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
TRIPLE
Tolcapone 200mg (single dose) administered at study visit
Placebo (200mg) administered at study visit
Drug: Bromocriptine 1.25 mg (single dose) administered at study visit
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, United States
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States
Measure Effects of Placebo,Tolcapone, Bromocriptine on Reaction Time
Participants will play the Dictator Game. Behavioral responses to the game during each arm (placebo, tolcapone, and bromocriptine) will be measured by subject reaction time .
Time frame: 3 weeks
Measure Effects of Placebo,Tolcapone, Bromocriptine on Accuracy
Participants will play the Dictator Game. Behavioral responses to the game during each arm (placebo, tolcapone, and bromocriptine) will be measured by subject accuracy (correct or incorrect responses).
Time frame: 3 weeks
Measure Observed Changes in Resting State Neural Activity
Resting-state data will be processed off-line using neuroimaging analysis software according to standard procedures for image slice-timing correction, realignment, normalization and smoothing. Changes in regional brain activity will be measured during the placebo, tolcapone and bromocriptine conditions.
Time frame: 3 weeks
Measure Observed Changes in Task Dependent Neural Activity
Task dependent fMRI data will be processed off-line using neuroimaging analysis software according to standard procedures for image slice-timing correction, realignment, normalization and smoothing. Changes in task dependent brain activity will be measured during the placebo, tolcapone and bromocriptine conditions.
Time frame: 3 weeks
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