Actively Recruiting
Nitrous Oxide and EMOtional Cognition
Led by University of Oxford · Updated on 2025-07-31
88
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
64 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
The goal of this study is to uncover the underlying neuropsychological mechanisms of nitrous oxide, which may be relevant to its reported antidepressant effects. In particular, the study is designed to determine whether nitrous oxide changes the way in which healthy volunteers aged 18-40 years remember negative autobiographical memories. The main question the study aims to answer is: • Does nitrous oxide interfere with the emotional aspects of negative autobiographical memories? Other neuropsychological effects will also be assessed (e.g., emotional processing, emotional memory, response inhibition, and cognitive flexibility). Researchers will compare ENTONOX (50% nitrous oxide: 50% oxygen) with medical air. Participants will: * Attend three research visits (screening, inhalation, follow-up) * Take part in a 30 minute inhalation session of ENTONOX or medical air * Complete a series of cognitive tasks * Finish a series of self-report questionnaires
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Nitrous Oxide and EMOtional Cognition
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Aged 18-40 years
- Good vision and hearing
- Willing and able to give informed consent
- Body mass index (BMI) within 18-35 kg/m2
- Sufficiently fluent in English to understand tasks
- Willing to avoid alcohol from 3 days before Visit One until the end of Visit Three
- Willing to avoid recreational drugs for 3 months before Visit One and throughout the study
You will not qualify if you...
- Receiving or seeking treatment for any mental health condition
- History of any mental health condition
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) requiring treatment with stimulant or centrally-acting drugs
- Positive drug test for specified substances
- Regularly drinking 14 or more units of alcohol a week
- Recent eye, throat, or ear surgery or medical procedure with intravenous injection in last 6 months
- Head injury causing concussion or unconsciousness in past 6 months
- Collapsed lung or lung surgery
- History of cardiac arrhythmias
- Current face or mouth injuries including ulcers or dental problems
- Dental surgery in the past month
- Deep or scuba diving in past month
- Pregnancy or intending to become pregnant during study
- Breastfeeding during study
- Asthma, emphysema, or other lung or breathing conditions
- Diagnosed vitamin B12 deficiency
- Use of recreational drugs in last 3 months
- Participation in any other drug study in last 3 months
- Participation in any other study with same tasks in last year
- Unable to undergo cardiac monitoring (for optional sleep study)
- Unable to wear sleep patch for full monitoring period (optional sleep study)
- Implanted neurostimulator (optional sleep study)
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Psychiatry Department
Oxford, United Kingdom, OX3 7JX
Actively Recruiting
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
TRIPLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
2
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