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TerminatedNCT03254342Updated Aug 19, 2021

MRS and Medication Response: A Pilot Study

An observational study in Major Depressive Disorder, Major Depressive Episode and Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, sponsored by Stanford University. Terminated at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 21 Years to 75 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2021-08-19.

Sponsored by Stanford University · Observational

Why this study was terminated
Unable to obtain a reliable MRS signal
Study type
Observational
Model
Other
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
3
Ages
21 Years to 75 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

We hope to demonstrate that magnetic resonance spectroscopy can detect brain concentration levels of paroxetine (Paxil) or citalopram (Celexa) or escitalopram (Lexapro) in depressed patients.

Read the detailed description

The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate that it is feasible to image paroxetine (Paxil) or citalopram (Celexa) or escitalopram (Lexapro) brain concentrations using MRS technology in depressed patients.

The longer-term goal is to determine the relationship between clinically administered doses of paroxetine (Paxil) or citalopram (Celexa) or escitalopram (Lexapro) (antidepressants), the amount of drug in the body via blood level, the concentrations of the drug achieved in brain measured via MRS, and genetics.

It has been previously reported that individuals taking 20mg of paroxetine daily had brain paroxetine [(Paxil) levels via MRS ranging from 2-13 micromolar. Similar or slightly higher ranges of brain drug concentrations have been reported for fluoxetine and fluvoxamine.

Since not all depressed patients respond to medications, one reason may be the amount of medication that crosses the blood-brain barrier. This may be influenced by genetic information. We want to examine these issues on a larger scale, but first we need to demonstrate that we can indeed determine paroxetine [(Paxil) or citalopram (Celexa) or escitalopram (Lexapro)] levels via MRS.

Intended results analysis could not be conducted because a reliably sensitive spectroscopic method could not be developed.

02

Conditions studied

  • Major Depressive Disorder
  • Major Depressive Episode
  • Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent
  • Major Depression Mild
  • Major Depression Moderate
  • Major Depression Severe
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
21 Years to 75 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Psychiatry clinic; local community.

Major depressive disorder:

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. DSM diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder
  2. Taking paroxetine [(Paxil) or citalopram (Celexa) or escitalopram (Lexapro)]for at least 6 weeks
  3. Between 21 - 75 years of age.
  4. Taking a stable dose of paroxetine [(Paxil) or citalopram (Celexa) or escitalopram (Lexapro)] for at least the 2 weeks prior to the imaging session

Healthy controls:

  1. Between 21 - 75 years of age.
  2. Have a 21-item HAM-D score of less than or equal to 5.
  3. No current, or history of any Axis I disorder.

Identify exclusion criteria.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria are as follows:

  1. Contraindications for an MRI exam. These includes biomedical devices such as pacemakers, aneurysm clips, prostheses, and other metallic objects embedded in the body such as bullets, buckshot, shrapnel, and any metal fragments from working around metal.
  2. Current pregnancy or lactation.
  3. Patients with claustrophobia.
  4. History, or current Axis I or Axis II disorders
  5. Active unstable medical problems, as confirmed by screening procedures
  6. Diagnosed with any autoimmune disease, (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, MLS).
  7. Chronic use of steroids or opiates.
  8. Positive urine toxicology screen for illicit substances of abuse.
04

Study design

Observational model
Other
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
3 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Major depressive disorder

    There is no intervention/treatment in this study.

  • Non-depressed individuals

    There is no intervention/treatment in this study.

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Measurement of paroxetine (Paxil), citalopram (Celexa) or escitalopram (Lexapro) brain concentrations.

    Measurement of paroxetine (Paxil), citalopram (Celexa) or escitalopram (Lexapro) brain concentrations using MRS technology in depressed participants.

    Time frame: Within 7 Days following MRS

06

Study locations

1 site
  • Stanford University Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
    Stanford, California 94305, United States
07

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — Currently there is no plan.

Supporting information: Study protocol, Icf

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03254342
Lead sponsor
Stanford University
Responsible party
Alan Schatzberg (Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Aug 18, 2017
Start date
Aug 6, 2013
Primary completion
Aug 6, 2020
Completion
Aug 31, 2020
Last update
Aug 19, 2021

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is terminated, as verified in Aug 2021. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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