Clinical trial NCT01465685: Emotional Effects of Methylphenidate and MDMA in Healthy Subjects
Official title: Emotional Effects of Methylphenidate and MDMA in Healthy Subjects
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE1
Conditions: Healthy
Keywords: MDMA
pharmacokinetics
pharmacodynamics
emotions
Mechanism of action of MDMA
Interaction study
Effect of MDMA and methylphenidate on emotions
Lead sponsor: University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2011-11-06
Enrollment: 16
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 45
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE

Brief summary: This study compares the interactive emotional/subjective effects of single doses of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") and methylphenidate, a dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) transporter blocker, in healthy subjects. The primary goal is to determine the role of transporter mediated DA and NE release in the subjective response to MDMA in humans. The investigators hypothesize that methylphenidate will attenuate the subjective response to MDMA.

Detailed description: 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") is widely used by young people for its euphoric effects. MDMA releases serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), and norepinephrine (NE). 5-HT release mainly contributes to the subjective effects of MDMA whereas NE release is involved in the cardiovascular and psychostimulant effects of MDMA. DA is also likely to be involved in the rewarding and reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse. However, the functional role of DA in the subjective effects of MDMA in humans is largely unclear. To determine the role of the DA transporter (DAT) in the response to MDMA in humans the investigators test the effects of the DA and NE transporter blocker methylphenidate on the subjective effects of MDMA. The investigators use a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over design with four experimental sessions. methylphenidate or placebo will be administered before MDMA or placebo to 16 healthy volunteers. Subjective and cardiovascular responses will be repeatedly assessed throughout the experiments and plasma samples are collected for pharmacokinetics. The primary hypothesis is that methylphenidate will significantly reduce the subjective effects of MDMA.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Sufficient understanding of the German language
* Subjects understand the procedures and the risks associated with the study
* Participants must be willing to adhere to the protocol and sign the consent form
* Participants must be willing to refrain from taking illicit psychoactive substances during the study.
* Participants must be willing to drink only alcohol-free liquids and no xanthine-containing liquids (such as coffee, black or green tea, red bull, chocolate) after midnight of the evening before the study session. Subjects must agree not to smoke tobacco for 1 h before and 4 hours after MDMA administration.
* Participants must be willing not to drive a traffic vehicle in the evening of the study day.
* Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test at the beginning of the study and must agree to use an effective form of birth control. Pregnancy tests are repeated before each study session.
* Body mass index: 18-25 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria:

* Chronic or acute medical condition including clinically relevant abnormality in physical exam, laboratory values, or ECG. In particular: Hypertension (\>140/90 mmHg). Personal or first-grade history of seizures. Cardiac or neurological disorder.
* Current or previous psychotic or affective disorder
* Psychotic or affective disorder in first-degree relatives
* Prior illicit drug use (except THC-containing (tetrahydrocannabinol) products) more than 5 times or any time within the previous 2 months.
* Pregnant or nursing women.
* Participation in another clinical trial (currently or within the last 30 days)
* Use of medications that are contraindicated or otherwise interfere with the effects of the study medications (monoamine oxidase inhibitors, antidepressants, sedatives etc.)

Primary outcomes:
measure: Subjective effect during 24 hours
timeFrame: 24 hours
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Blood pressure (mmHg)during 10 hours
timeFrame: 10 hours
measure: Neuroendocrine plasma levels during 10 hours
timeFrame: 10 hours
measure: MDMA plasma levels during 24 hours
timeFrame: 24 hours
measure: Heart rate (beats/min)) during 10 hours
timeFrame: 10
measure: Emotional and cognitive empathy
timeFrame: 5 hours
measure: Prosocial behavior
timeFrame: 5 hours
measure: Genetic polymorphisms
timeFrame: assessed after study completion
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Basel
country: Switzerland
facility: University Hospital Basel
state: Basel-Stadt
Study officials:
affiliation: University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
name: Matthias E Liechti, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Vizeli P, Liechti ME. Oxytocin receptor gene variations and socio-emotional effects of MDMA: A pooled analysis of controlled studies in healthy subjects. PLoS One. 2018 Jun 18;13(6):e0199384. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199384. eCollection 2018.
citation: Hysek CM, Simmler LD, Schillinger N, Meyer N, Schmid Y, Donzelli M, Grouzmann E, Liechti ME. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of methylphenidate and MDMA administered alone or in combination. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2014 Mar;17(3):371-81. doi: 10.1017/S1461145713001132. Epub 2013 Oct 8.