Depot Naltrexone Mechanism of Action in Heroin Dependent Patients Using fMRI and SPECT (XRNT)
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01471145 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : November 15, 2011
Last Update Posted : October 13, 2014
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The aim of this project is to study brain functions of 20 heroin addicts (compared to brain functions of 20 healthy controls) just before and during a three month extended release naltrexone treatment using functional MRI and dopamine transporter SPECT.
The following hypotheses are tested:
- XRNT modulates the fMRI response to drug cues in predetermined brain regions.
- The expression of striatal transporters (assessed with SPECT) will decrease after a three-month course of extended release naltrexone
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Opioid-Related Disorders Heroin Dependence | Drug: Naltrexone | Phase 4 |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 40 participants |
Allocation: | N/A |
Intervention Model: | Single Group Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Basic Science |
Official Title: | Feasibility, Mechanism of Action and Potential Side Effects of Extended Release Depot Naltrexone in Opioid Dependent Patients |
Study Start Date : | January 2013 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | October 2014 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | October 2014 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Depot Naltrexone |
Drug: Naltrexone
naltrexone for extended-release injectable suspension, 380 mg/vial, every 4 weeks or once a month
Other Name: Vivitrol |
- Brain functions [ Time Frame: 3 months ]Brain functions of 20 heroin addicts just before and during a three month extended release naltrexone treatment using both functional MRI and dopamine transporter SPECT, compared to brain functions of 20 healthy controls.
- Feasibility and potential efficacy [ Time Frame: 3 months ]The feasibility and potential efficacy of extended release naltrexone in a pilot sample of 20 Dutch heroin addicts in terms of (a) the percentage of patients that actually starts treatment when invited and (b) the percentage of 3 months retention.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 55 Years (Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | Yes |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Heroin dependent patients: have a diagnosis of opioid dependence according to DSM-IV criteria, heroin as primary drug of abuse and inhalation as primary route of administration.
- Healthy controls: no diagnosis of substance dependence, no current psychotropic medication. Care will be taken to match controls for gender, age, smoking status, IQ and handedness.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Age below 18 or over 55
- Medical contraindications for XRNT or MRI (Langleben 2006; Langleben, Ruparel et al. 2008). Briefly, the former include candidates with known hypersensitivity to naltrexone,PLG (poly-lactide-coglycolide), carboxymethylcellulose, or any other components of the Vivitrol® diluent, hepatic or renal disease, chronic pain syndromes, female subjects who are pregnant or lactating, or are of child bearing potential and are not using an acceptable method of birth control. MRI contraindications include chronic medical (neurological, cardiovascular, infectious, metabolic, etc) conditions that may affect the brain morphology and/or activity and indwelling foreign metallic or magnetically sensitive objects and devices, such as shrapnel, pacemakers, orthopaedic fixation devices or vascular stents
- Presence of disorders precluding normal perception of visual and auditory stimuli, such as color blindness, deafness, severe myopia, etc.
- Patients with a history of or current psychosis or current major depressive disorder with suicidal ideation
- Patients who are being treated under forced treatment conditions
- History or evidence of disorders that may affect cerebral function or circulation, such as diabetes and other metabolic disorders, encephalopathy, cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease, history of head trauma with depressed skull fracture or prolonged loss of consciousness and history of brain surgery
- Female subjects: women who are pregnant or breast-feeding
- Current psychotropic medication
- Use of any prescription medications that could affect alertness or the circulatory system
- IQ < 70
- Naltrexone use within the past 6 months
- Baseline aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase more than three times the upper limit of normal
- Patients with no intention to be opioid-free for a minimum of 7 days before starting XRNT treatment

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): NCT01471145
Netherlands | |
Academic Medical Center | |
Amsterdam, Netherlands, P.O. Box 22660 |
Principal Investigator: | Wim van den Brink, MD PhD | Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA) |
Responsible Party: | Wim van den Brink, Prof. dr. W. van den Brink, Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA) |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01471145 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
60-60600-97-301 2011-001890-15 ( EudraCT Number ) |
First Posted: | November 15, 2011 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | October 13, 2014 |
Last Verified: | October 2014 |
opioid dependence heroin dependence extended release depot naltrexone |
functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging dopamine transporter Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography |
Opioid-Related Disorders Heroin Dependence Substance-Related Disorders Chemically-Induced Disorders Mental Disorders Naltrexone |
Alcohol Deterrents Narcotic Antagonists Physiological Effects of Drugs Sensory System Agents Peripheral Nervous System Agents |