This will be a laboratory-based investigation of the behavioral and neural effects of intranasal oxytocin on craving for alcohol and approach bias in moderate to heavy alcohol using subjects. This study uses a within-subject, randomized, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced, crossover design to compare the effects oxytocin and placebo. In this way, all subjects will be scanned twice; once following oxytocin administration and once following placebo administration, and will complete a series of behavioral tasks (both in and out of the scanner) at both visits.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
University of California, San Francisco
Berkeley, California, United States
Alcohol cue craving score
Subjects will be asked to perform a standardized alcohol cue exposure paradigm and be asked to rate their subjective craving following alcohol cue presentation using a standard visual analog scale. Craving scores (ranging from 1-10 on VAS) will be compared across both the active study drug and placebo.
Time frame: ~ 90 minutes post study drug administration
Image approach task
Subjects will be asked to perform an image approach task where subjects are presented with a series of images and asked to pull or push a joystick following each presentation. Response direction and speed are recorded and compared across both the active study drug and placebo.
Time frame: ~ 90 minutes post study drug administration
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