Neurosteroids and Acute Alcohol Intoxication in Humans
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00608686 |
Recruitment Status : Unknown
Verified December 2008 by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
Recruitment status was: Active, not recruiting
First Posted : February 6, 2008
Last Update Posted : December 19, 2008
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1. The major aims are to assess: (1) the relationship of basal and alcohol-induced neurosteroid and GABA levels to the degree of acute alcohol intoxication in healthy male and female volunteers; and (2) the effect of acute pregnenolone administration on the degree of acute alcohol intoxication in these same volunteers. Specific hypotheses are:
- Baseline serum levels of pregnenolone, pregnenolone sulfate (PS), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S) will be inversely correlated with the magnitude of acute behavioral responses to alcohol (sedation, anxiolysis, amnesia, psychomotor impairment and intoxication). That is, higher baseline levels of these neurosteroids will be associated with lessened behavioral responses to alcohol.
- Baseline serum levels of allopregnanolone, tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC), androstanediol, androsterone and GABA will be directly correlated with the magnitude of acute behavioral responses to alcohol. That is, higher baseline levels of these substances will be associated with heightened behavioral responses to alcohol.
- Acute alcohol ingestion, compared to placebo ingestion, will increase serum levels of allopregnanolone and THDOC and plasma levels of GABA and will decrease plasma levels of PS. (Effects on levels of other neurosteroids are not specifically predicted based on animal data but will be examined in an exploratory manner.)
- Acute alcohol-induced increases in serum levels of allopregnanolone and THDOC and in plasma levels of GABA will be directly correlated with the magnitude of acute behavioral responses to alcohol. Acute alcohol-induced decreases in serum levels of PS will be directly correlated with the magnitude of acute behavioral responses to alcohol. Correlations between alcohol-induced changes in other neurosteroids and changes in behavior are not specifically predicted but will be examined in an exploratory manner.
- Pregnenolone, compared to placebo, pre-treatment will antagonize the acute effects of alcohol on the behavioral measures.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Alcohol Intoxication | Dietary Supplement: Pregnenolone | Phase 1 |

Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 92 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Double (Participant, Investigator) |
Primary Purpose: | Basic Science |
Official Title: | Neurosteroids and Acute Alcohol Intoxication in Humans |
Study Start Date : | May 2004 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | January 2009 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | March 2009 |

- Dietary Supplement: Pregnenolone
30mg of pregnenolone administered orally, once, at 2 of 5 study visits.
- Behavioural Measures of Alcohol Intoxication, such as the Weingartner Verbal Memory Test, and the BVMT-R Visual Memory Test. [ Time Frame: Behavioural measures are assessed within 2 hours of alcohol administration. ]

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 21 Years to 45 Years (Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | Yes |
Inclusion Criteria:
- drinks alcohol more than 6 times a year.
- can understand english well enough to perform the required tasks.
- is in general good health.
Exclusion Criteria:
- having a member of immediate family who is alcoholic.
- using drugs that would interfere with study.
- not able to tolerate 3 alcoholic drinks within 30 minutes.

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00608686
United States, California | |
University of California, San Francisco | |
San Francisco, California, United States, 94143 |
Responsible Party: | Owen Wolkowitz, MD, University of California, San Francisco, Dept. of Psychiatry |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00608686 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
NIAAA-WOLKOWITZ-AA013929 NIH grant 5R01AA013929-04 |
First Posted: | February 6, 2008 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | December 19, 2008 |
Last Verified: | December 2008 |
NIAAA Alcohol Neurosteroids Intoxication |
Alcoholic Intoxication Chemically-Induced Disorders Alcohol-Related Disorders Substance-Related Disorders Mental Disorders |