Healthy Clinical Trial - Studying the Role of Brain Molecules for Decision

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The aim of the present project is to elucidate the neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying value (choice preference) and attention (choice randomness) processing in humans. More specifically, the investigators test whether dopaminergic, noradrenergic and cholinergic interventions affect neural and behavioral processing of valuation and attention during decision-making. The investigators do this by up-regulating dopaminergic, noradrenergic or cholinergic neurotransmission pharmacologically through administration of methylphenidate, reboxetine, or nicotine. We test the hypothesis that methylphenidate, reboxetine, or nicotine reduce choice randomness and that this effect is underpinned by an effect on attention and/or value processing.

Clinical Trial Description

To simultaneously assess and dissociate choice preference and randomness in stable environments, the investigators plan to use two tasks: (1) a variant of the RISKGARP task, a well-established risky decision-making task and (2) a modified Becker-DeGroot-Marshak task that measures choice preference and the width of preference representations with the range of willingness to pay procedure (range-WTP). Note that wider representations should result in more choice randomness. The investigators will assess choice randomness also by repeating the same decision questions several times within each task and by relating the preferences measured by the RISKGARP task to those measured by the range-BDM task by using the same options in both tasks. To assess the impact of changing environments and learning on choice preference and randomness, participants will perform two established exploration/exploitation tasks. One (3) is a foraging task that has been combined with different pharmacological manipulations and the other (4) is a variant of the four-armed bandit task, which allows distinguishing value- or information-based exploration from random choice. Blood and saliva samples may be taken. Blood samples may be used to determine levels of the administrated substances and to assess genetic variation. Saliva samples may be used to determine cortisol and testosterone levels. ;

Study Design

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

Clinical Trial Details

NCT number	NCT04384562
Study type	Interventional
Source	University of Zurich
Contact
Status	Completed
Phase	N/A
Start date	December 17, 2020
Completion date	December 13, 2021

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Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.

Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.

Studying the Role of Brain Molecules for Decision Making

Clinical Trial Summary

Clinical Trial Description

Study Design

Related Conditions & MeSH terms