View clinical trials related to Alcohol Drinking.
Filter by:The Systematic Implementation of Patient-centered Care for Alcohol Use Trial is a pragmatic, cluster-randomized, effectiveness-implementation trial testing two interventions to systematically implement shared decision-making with primary care patients with symptoms due to alcohol use: a primary care intervention and a centralized intervention. An anticipated 30 primary care clinics will be randomized to one of three conditions: usual care or the primary care or centralized interventions.
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about an online group program (Healthy Families Bright Futures program) for LGBTQ+ teens and their caregivers. The main question[s] it aims to answer are: • is this program acceptable, appropriate, and feasible for LGBTQ+ youth and their caregivers • does the program affect teen (alcohol use, dating violence, alcohol use refusal self-efficacy, healthy communication self-efficacy) and caregiver (accepting behaviors, parenting self-efficacy, parenting behaviors) outcomes associated with risk for dating violence and alcohol use among LGBTQ+ teens. Participants will participate in a one-hour weekly online group for seven weeks with separate groups for teens and caregivers.
One in 10 Veterans have an alcohol use disorder. However, few Veterans receive evidenced-based psychosocial interventions or medications to treat alcohol use disorder. Barriers to receiving these treatments include long wait times, stigma, and long distances from treatment facilities. Even fewer Veterans receive psychosocial and medication interventions together, despite clinical practice guidelines recommending both and evidence of better outcomes. Expanding access to these treatments in primary care is a VA priority but delivering psychosocial interventions is difficult in this setting, and medication is often the only option. Smartphone apps that deliver alcohol interventions may improve drinking outcomes and ensure Veterans can receive both treatments in primary care. This study will determine whether medications and an app for alcohol use problems offered to Veterans in primary care results in improved drinking outcomes, compared to Veterans receiving medications only. Study data will inform how to spread the app across the VA nationally.
BACKGROUND The brain and spinal cord are enveloped by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which extends down to the base of the spine, a few centimeters below the termination of the spinal cord. Here, it can be collected through a minor needle puncture. This procedure enables the gathering of information about otherwise concealed molecular and cellular processes in the brain. Analyzing various specific molecules in the CSF has yielded crucial insights into the underlying mechanisms of many neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and dementia, significantly enhancing the prospects for its treatment. However, for several brain disorders, including Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and substance use disorders, CSF studies are absent. AUD, a brain disease affecting the reward system, is characterized by an inability to limit alcohol consumption. High levels of alcohol intake, as seen in AUD, are a leading cause of morbidity and premature mortality. Yet, there is a lack of effective medications for its treatment. Analyzing molecules in CSF, believed to be significant for the development and maintenance of AUD, could enhance the development of effective pharmacological treatments. At present, there are no CSF studies on individuals with AUD, that explore the underlying mechanisms of the disease. Additionally, several CSF studies lack a representative control group of truly healthy controls (i.e. have not presented any neurological or psychiatric symptoms), which is crucial for drawing accurate conclusions. OBJECTIVE Sub-study 1 aims to collect CSF from individuals with AUD across various ages to analyze brain molecules that contribute to the development and maintenance of the disease. Sub-study 2 aims to gather CSF from healthy controls across various ages to study molecules involved in neurological and psychiatric conditions, including AUD, substance dependency, brain inflammation, and narcolepsy. The goal is to create a reference group of CSF from healthy controls for comparison with CSF collected from individuals with the aforementioned conditions. We hypothesize that levels of certain molecules, such as dopamine, differ between healthy controls and those with e.g. AUD. This study may provide insights into cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying brain disorders, which is in turn crucial for developing new, effective treatments. Sub-study 3 will examine how the incubation of nerve cells in CSF collected in sub-study 1 and 2 affects their excitability and ability to form new synapses, essential for communication in the brain. We hypothesize that the excitability and synaptogenesis of nerve cells will vary depending on whether they are incubated in CSF from neurologically and psychiatrically healthy individuals versus those with AUD, substance use disorders, brain inflammation, and narcolepsy. Understanding how CSF composition influences brain function in these conditions could be instrumental in creating new therapeutic drugs. METHODS Individuals with AUD, as well as psychiatrically and neurologically healthy volunteers, will be successively recruited for CSF collection and analyses. Recruitment will be performed through media advertisements and posters within healthcare facilities (The Sahlgrenska University Hospital) and the University of Gothenburg. Additional participants will be recruited from parallel research projects performed within the group (IV-ASA BO10 dnr: 2019-04120, COMB BO8 dnr 431-18, GlycinA BO5 dnr 806-14, PI Bo Söderpalm and NordAlc BO9 dnr: 430-18, PI Andrea de Bejczy) CSF will be obtained through lumbar puncture (spinal tap), a procedure where a thin needle is inserted below the end of the spinal cord. Local anesthesia will be administered in order to mitigate potential discomfort. The lumbar puncture will be performed by an experienced physician, minimizing the risk of injury. Blood samples will also be collected to correlate molecule levels in CSF with those in the blood. Participants will be interviewed about their medical history including their alcohol consumption, and a comprehensive medical examination will be performed. SIGNIFICANCE CSF studies offers unique insights into the cellular and molecular processes within the brain. This approach has been utilized for exploring the mechanisms behind several psychiatric and neurological disorders, but not for certain brain diseases like AUD. AUD inflicts significant suffering for affected individuals, contributes to high mortality rates, and imposes considerable burdens on the society. Moreover, a deeper understanding of the cellular and molecular underpinnings of brain diseases such as AUD, can facilitate the development of novel, more effective medications for its treatment.
The U.S. Deaf community - a group of more than 500,000 Americans who communicate using American Sign Language (ASL) - experiences nearly triple the rate of lifetime problem drinking and twice the rate of trauma exposure compared to the general population. Although there are several treatments for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in hearing populations, none have been developed for or tested with Deaf clients. To address these barriers, the study team developed Signs of Safety, a Deaf-accessible therapy toolkit for treating AUD and PTSD. Their aims are to conduct a nationwide, virtual clinical trial to compare (1) Signs of Safety with (2) treatment as usual and (3) a no treatment control, to collect data on clinical outcomes, and to explore potential mediators and moderators of outcome.
Background: Chronic heavy drinking can cause alcohol use disorder (AUD). AUD changes how the brain works. People with AUD may drink compulsively or feel like they cannot control their alcohol use. Acamprosate is an FDA-approved drug that reduces anxiety and craving in some, but not all, people with AUD. Objective: To learn more about how acamprosate affects brain function in people with AUD. Eligibility: People aged 21 to 65 years with moderate to severe AUD. Design: Participants will stay in the clinic for 21 days after a detoxification period of approximately 7 days. Acamprosate is a capsule taken by mouth. Half of participants will take this drug 3 times a day with meals. The other half will take a placebo. The placebo looks like the study drug but does not contain any medicine. Participants will not know which capsules they are taking. Participants will have a procedure called electroencephalography (EEG): A gel will be applied to certain locations on their scalp, and a snug cap will be placed on their head. The cap has sensors with wires. The sensors detect electrical activity in the brain. Participants will lie still and perform 2 tasks: they will look at different shapes and press a button when they see a specific one; and they will listen to tones and press dedicated buttons when they hear the corresponding tones. Participants will have 2 EEGs: 1 on day 2 and 1 on day 23 of their study participation. They may opt to have up to 4 more EEG studies (one on day 13 and one on each of the three follow-up visits) and 2 sleep studies, in which they would have sensors attached to their scalp while they sleep. Participants may have up to three follow-up visits for 6 months.
During the first funding period (1st FP) we investigated the impact of acute and chronic stress (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) on Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT). Moreover, we developed a novel full transfer task that allows assessing both general and specific PIT to investigate whether specific PIT differs between alcohol use disorder (AUD) and control subjects. We found that our online version of TSST induced stress and thereby amplified PIT effects in participants. Preliminary analyses of the full transfer task indicate that AUD participants exhibit a stronger specific PIT effect compared to controls. Based on these findings, we want to assess the following aim for this study: Investigate the effect of experimentally induced social exclusion on alcohol-specific and general PIT effects in AUD and control participants.
CT fibers are found in the skin of most mammals and project to the insular cortex. Stimulation of CT fibers by light touch causes a release of oxytocin and is associated with feelings of comfort and wellbeing. Peripheral TRPV-1 channels are important in pain transmission and modulation of the stress response likely through the central release of oxytocin and are stimulated by heat. In Phase 1 investigators will test stimulation of TRPV1 channels and CT fibers in human subjects to correlate the lab findings with subjective human responses and test whether stimulation of CT fibers and TRPV-1 channels reduce anxiety and stress in subjects who suffer from AUD. Aim 1 and 2. We will define the optimal parameters for CT fiber stimulation for force, temperature, and body location. We will perform similar testing for peripheral thermal stimulation (TRPV-1) using our commercially available heating pods. Parameters tested will include the optimal body location, number of heating pods (2-4) and temperature of pods. In Aim 3 investigators will simultaneously apply both CT fiber and thermal stimulation in a proof of concept study. The experimental group will receive active CT fiber and thermal stimulation and the control group non-physiologic placebo stimulation. Subjects with a history of AUD will be randomized into control versus experimental groups and undergo stress using a validated mental calculation stressors. Stress, cravings, and anxiety will be measured using standardized assessments, and investigators will measure salivary oxytocin and cortisol levels, potentially biomarkers.
The goal of this clinical trial is to understand the effects of the probiotic BLa80 on the gut health of people who drink alcohol regularly. We want to find out if this probiotic can help improve the health of the digestive system in those who consume alcohol. The main questions we aim to answer are: Does BLa80 positively change the composition of gut bacteria in alcohol consumers? Participants in this study will: Be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive the probiotic BLa80, and the other group will receive a placebo (a substance with no active therapeutic effect). Take their assigned treatment for a specified period, as directed by the study protocol. Undergo regular health checks and provide feceal samples for analysis to see how their gut bacteria might have changed during the study. This study is important because it explores whether a specific type of probiotic can help protect or improve gut health in people who drink alcohol, potentially offering a new way to support digestive health.
The goal of this clinical trial is to understand the effects of the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve BBr60 on the gut health of people who drink alcohol regularly. We want to find out if this probiotic can help improve the health of the digestive system in those who consume alcohol. The main questions we aim to answer are: Does Bifidobacterium breve BBr60 positively change the composition of gut bacteria in alcohol consumers? Participants in this study will: Be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve BBr60, and the other group will receive a placebo (a substance with no active therapeutic effect). Take their assigned treatment for a specified period, as directed by the study protocol. Undergo regular health checks and provide feceal samples for analysis to see how their gut bacteria might have changed during the study. This study is important because it explores whether a specific type of probiotic can help protect or improve gut health in people who drink alcohol, potentially offering a new way to support digestive health.