Actively Recruiting
Cross-over Study on the Influence of Fampridine on Working Memory in Mild to Moderate Depression
Led by University of Basel · Updated on 2025-12-12
38
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
57 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
U
University of Basel
Lead Sponsor
C
Clinical Trial Unit, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Cognitive deficits, including working memory deficits, are often present in depression and there are currently no effective pharmacological treatments targeting working memory deficits. Papassotiropoulos et al. (2024) has recently demonstrated that fampridine, a potassium channel blocker, can enhance working memory in healthy individuals with lower baseline performance, suggesting it may hold potential for addressing cognitive deficits in clinical populations. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate whether fampridine improves working memory performance in mild to moderate depression
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Cross-over Study on the Influence of Fampridine on Working Memory in Mild to Moderate Depression
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Male or female
- Diagnosed with a major depressive episode currently mild to moderate (MADRS score 7-30)
- Normotensive (blood pressure 90/60 mmHg to 140/90 mmHg) or adequately treated hypertensive
- Body mass index between 19 and 34.9 kg/m2
- Age between 18 and 55 years
- Fluent in German
- Provided informed consent by signature
You will not qualify if you...
- Known allergy or hypersensitivity to 4-aminopyridine or similar drugs
- Use of potassium channel blockers within the last 3 months
- Treatment with OCT 2 inhibitors or substrates (e.g., cimetidine, propranolol)
- Use of antidepressants or antipsychotics within the last 3 months and during the study
- Current use of psychoactive drugs such as benzodiazepines, antidepressants, or neuroleptics
- Presence of other acute or chronic psychiatric disorders (e.g., psychosis, somatoform disorder, substance abuse)
- Cognitive impairment with MoCA score below 25
- Suicidal tendency (MADRS item 10 score greater than 1)
- Risk factors for lowered seizure threshold (e.g., sleep deprivation, alcohol withdrawal, hyponatraemia)
- History of seizures
- Acute cerebrovascular condition
- Acute renal failure or severe renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance below 30 ml/min per 1.73 m2)
- Bradycardia with heart rate below 50/min
- History of malignant cancers
- Walking difficulties such as dizziness
- Other significant diseases (e.g., liver dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma)
- Clinically significant abnormal laboratory or ECG findings posing safety concerns
- Severe somatic or neurological comorbidities
- Smoking more than 10 cigarettes or nicotine units per day or inability to abstain for a test day
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or intention to become pregnant during the study
- Known or suspected non-compliance
- Inability to follow study procedures due to language or psychological issues
- Participation in another investigational drug study within 30 days before or during this study
- Investigator, family members, employees, or dependents enrolled in the study
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
University of Basel, Reserach Cluster Molecular and Cognitive Neurosciences
Basel, Canton of Basel-City, Switzerland, 4055
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
C
Christiane Gerhards, MD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
CROSSOVER
Primary Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Number of Arms
2
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