Exploring Learning and Unlearning of Fear

Healthy Individuals Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Effect of D-cycloserine on Fear Learning and Extinction

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Withdrawn

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01512316
• Other study ID #: IMDCSACQEXT
• Status: Withdrawn
• Phase: N/A

Study information

• Verified date: May 2016
• Source: Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The present study investigates the effect of d-cycloserine on learning and unlearning of fear in healthy humans and its underlying effect on the amygdala.

As a second objective, the effect of genotype on fear learning will be studied.

Description:

A growing body of evidence suggests that the extinction of fear is mediated by the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activity in the basolateral amygdala. Intra-amygdala infusions of antagonists of this glutamate receptor in small animals (eg: rats, mice) have demonstrated a blockage of fear acquisition and extinction. Agonists, on the other hand, facilitate conditioned fear extinction.

The animal studies are all based on the simple fear learning paradigm of conditioning. However, it is not clear that human anxiety disorders are based on prior conditioning encounter. Therefore it is important to disentangle the effect of DCS on acquisition and extinction in the context of a simple learning paradigm, particular its effect on the human amygdala.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Withdrawn
• Enrollment: 0
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 40 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• No axis I diagnosis compatible with the DSM-IV by means of a structured diagnostic interview

• Right-handed

Exclusion Criteria:

• Current psychopharmacological or psychological treatment.

• The presence of a physical/medical condition that may interfere with the study.

• A contraindication for the use of DCS

• Pacemaker, medication pump (such as insulin pump), hearing aid, removable prosthodontics

• Metal in or on body (such as acupuncture needles, artificial limbs, stents, metal splints, clips, implanted electrodes, tattoos, or piercings)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Healthy Individuals

Intervention

Drug:
• d-Cycloserine
250mg, one dose, 2hrs prior to fMRI
• Lactose pill
one dose, 2hrs prior to fmri

Genetic:
• Saliva sample
Buccal cell material will be sampled from all participants on day3

Other:
• Functional neuroimaging (fMRI)

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Belgium	Catholic University Leuven, Departement of Radiology	Leuven

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Belgium, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	change in BOLD-signal during a fear conditioning task	Subjects will participate in a 3-day experiment. Day1 (t0): Acquisition Day2 (T+24): extinction Day3 (T+48): re-exposure	t0, t+24, t+48