Actively Recruiting
Aberrant Synaptic Plasticity in Cocaine Use Disorder Using 11C-UCB-J PET Scans An Observational Brain Imaging Study
Led by Yale University · Updated on 2025-09-11
80
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
253 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
Y
Yale University
Lead Sponsor
N
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are studying brain synaptic density in people with cocaine use disorder (CUD) compared to healthy individuals. This study aims to better understand changes in brain plasticity linked to cocaine use by using advanced brain imaging techniques. The research involves both patients with CUD and healthy controls, focusing on specific brain regions such as the anterior cingulate cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and medial orbitofrontal cortex. Participants with cocaine use disorder will stay as inpatients and undergo one MRI scan and two 11C-UCB-J PET scans, along with neurocognitive testing. They will also complete sleep studies to assess sleep patterns during their inpatient stay, including the first two nights after admission and the last two nights before discharge. Healthy control participants will be studied as outpatients and will have one MRI and one 11C-UCB-J PET scan, plus neurocognitive tasks. After the inpatient stay, individuals with cocaine use disorder will attend outpatient follow-up visits twice a week for up to nine weeks. Researchers will collect various assessments including brain imaging, neurocognitive tests, and sleep studies to compare brain function and structure between the two groups. The primary outcomes involve comparing brain region activity between CUD participants after three weeks of abstinence and healthy controls at baseline.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Aberrant Synaptic Plasticity in Cocaine Use Disorder: A 11C-UCB-J PET Study
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Age 21-60 years
- Physically healthy based on medical history, physical exam, neurological exam, ECG, and lab tests
- For females, a negative serum pregnancy test
- For cocaine use disorder group: DSM-5 diagnosis of cocaine use disorder and positive urine test for recent cocaine use
- For healthy controls: negative urine drug test
You will not qualify if you...
- Diagnosis of other substance use disorders (except nicotine) according to DSM-5
- Primary major psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression
- History of significant or uncontrolled medical or neurological illness
- Current use of psychotropic or potentially psychoactive prescription medications
- Medical reasons that prevent MRI scanning
AI-Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Connecticut Mental Health Center
New Haven, Connecticut, United States, 06519
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
M
Marcella Mignosa, MD
How is the study designed?
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Masking
N/A
Allocation
N/A
Model
N/A
Primary Purpose
N/A
Number of Arms
2
Frequently Asked Questions
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