An observational study in Benzodiazepine Adverse Reaction, Depression, Anxiety and Benzodiazepine Dependence, sponsored by The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University. Recruiting at 1 site in China. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-04-11.
Sponsored by The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University · Observational
This study explores the impact of long-term benzodiazepine (BZDs) use on cognitive function and associated neuroimaging markers. While BZDs are established treatments for conditions like anxiety and insomnia, recent warnings highlight risks, including neurocognitive effects. Neuroimaging studies indicate potential neuroprotective effects of BZDs. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measures cerebral cortex function during cognitive tasks. Combining fNIRS with mood and cognitive scales, this study assesses cortical activation. 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) evaluates brain metabolism. DPA-714 PET assesses neuroinflammation. The primary objective is to compare brain functional activation, metabolism, and neuroinflammatory levels between long-term BZD users and non-users. This comprehensive approach aims to provide insights into BZD effects on cognition and associated brain markers.
Benzodiazepines(BZDs) have been long-established treatments for various conditions, including anxiety disorders and insomnia. Recent FDA warnings emphasize the risks of misuse and dependence associated with BZDs. Epidemiological investigations have consistently raised concerns regarding the long-term utilization of GABAergic medications, such as BZD and Z-drugs, due to their observed association with an elevated likelihood of neurocognitive impairments, including the development of Alzheimer's disease(AD). Recent neuroimaging studies have provided insights into the neuroprotective effects of BZD. These studies reveal that prolonged use of BZD in humans is associated with reduced amyloid deposition and a greater hippocampus volume. Functional near-infrared spectroscopic imaging utilizes changes in measured near-infrared light to monitor relative changes in oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin concentrations in the cerebral cortex, allowing the detection of dynamic changes in cerebral cortical function during cognitive processing states. In this study, investigators will use functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure oxygenated (HbO2), deoxygenated hemoglobin (HbR), and total hemoglobin activation in various parts of the cortex, combined with mood and cognitive scales.
Brain metabolism, measured using 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging, can guide clinicians in both research and clinical evaluation, with specific patterns of brain metabolism reduction aiding in the diagnosis of AD or related disorders. The PET tracer DPA-714, binding to the 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO), provides a non-invasive measure of neuroinflammation in activated microglia/macrophages within the mitochondria. The primary objective of this study is to observe differences in brain functional activation, brain metabolism, and brain neuroinflammatory levels between subjects on long-term BZDs use and those not taking BZDs.
8,577 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression; 1,720 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 100 is below the median of 175 across 1,257 observational studies indexed under Depression.
Browse Depression studies →The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University is the lead sponsor of 42 studies on the registry; 10 are open to participants now.
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The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University
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Exclusion Criteria：
Continuous use of benzodiazepines for ≥3 months
No history of prior benzodiazepine use
Healthy Controls
Brain hemodynamic activity with fNIRS
This includes changes in the concentration of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin as measured by the change in light absorption, along with comprehensive analyses of activation values and functional connectivity.
Time frame: for 3 years
Longitudinal evolution of biomarkers measured from neuroimaging (including structural, functional, and multimodal MRI) and molecular neuroimaging (18F-FDG PET/MRI、DPA-714-PET/MRI)
Estimates of brain TSPO concentrations measured with PET will serve as a marker for neuroinflammation. Variation of the regional cerebral glucose consumption and TSPO-PET measures, derived from neuroimaging (including structural, functional, and multimodal MRI), will be compared between three groups.
Time frame: for 3 years
Mini-Mental State Evaluation (MMSE)
Clinician-administered screening tool used to systematically and thoroughly assess mental status through five areas of cognitive function: orientation, registration, attention and calculation, recall, and language. Scores range between 0-30. A score of 25 or higher is classed as normal. If the score is below 24, the result is usually considered to be abnormal, indicating possible cognitive impairment.
Time frame: About 15 min during the study visit
Scores of Hamilton Depression Scale
Using to assess depressive symptoms. With higher scores associated with more severe depression symptoms. Total scores \<7 is normal; Mild depression with total scores of 7～17; Moderate depression with total scores of 18～24; Total scores \>24 for severe depression.
Time frame: About 15 min during the study visit
Scores of Hamilton Anxiety Scale
Using to assess anxiety symptoms. With higher scores associated with more severe anxiety symptoms. Total scores\< 7 indicates no anxiety; Total scores≥7 indicates possible anxiety; Total scores≥14 indicates anxiety; Total scores≥21 indicates obvious anxiety; Total scores≥29 points indicates serious anxiety.
Time frame: About 15 min during the study visit
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
Using to assess the sleep quality. Total scores of 0-5 indicates that the quality of sleep is very good, 6～10 indicates that the quality of sleep is OK, 11～15 indicates that the quality of sleep is average, and 16～21 indicates that the quality of sleep is poor.
Time frame: About 15 min during the study visit
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The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University