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The Effects of Acute Administration of Bupropion on Neural Substrates Underlying Hedonic Capacity
This study has been completed.
Sponsors and Collaborators: Affective Neuroscience Laboratory
Massachusetts General Hospital
Information provided by: Affective Neuroscience Laboratory
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00205946
  Purpose

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effects of a single-dose of Wellbutrin XL (bupropion hydrochloride) on reward processing.


Condition Intervention Phase
Major Depressive Disorder
Drug: Bupropion
Drug: Placebo
Phase I

MedlinePlus related topics: Depression
Drug Information available for: Bupropion hydrochloride Bupropion
U.S. FDA Resources
Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Double Blind (Subject, Investigator), Placebo Control, Crossover Assignment
Official Title: The Effects of Acute Administration of Bupropion on Neural Substrates Underlying Hedonic Capacity

Further study details as provided by Affective Neuroscience Laboratory:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Whether an acute dose of bupropion vs. placebo differentially affects the neurobiology and behavior of reward processing in depressed participants. [ Time Frame: 1 day ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

Enrollment: 32
Study Start Date: April 2005
Study Completion Date: July 2007
Arms Assigned Interventions
Placebo: Placebo Comparator Drug: Placebo
Administered 5 hours prior to fMRI scanning (randomly assigned, double blind)
Bupropion: Active Comparator Drug: Bupropion
150 mg of bupropion administered 5 hours before fMRI scanning

Detailed Description:

A cardinal feature of Major Depressive Disorder is anhedonia, which is a lack of pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. In order to understand reward processing in depressed individuals it is also necessary to study reward processing in people who are not depressed. Bupropion, the active drug in the anti-depressant Wellbutrin XL, has been shown to increase brain reward functioning in animals. The goal of the present study is to investigate the effects of Wellbutrin XL administered to psychiatrically healthy individuals as they perform a computer task known to assess reward processing.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years to 64 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Absence of medical, neurological, and psychiatric illness (including alcohol and substance abuse)
  • Non-Smoker
  • Right-handed (Chapman and Chapman 1987)
  • Ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Predisposition to seizure (e.g. family history of a seizure disorder, history of head trauma) or current use of medications that lower the seizure threshold
  • History or current diagnosis of anorexia or bulimia
  • Alcohol or substance abuse within the past year
  • Current usage of Wellbutrin or Zyban or other drugs that contain bupropion
  • Recent discontinuation of alcohol or sedatives (including benzodiazepines)
  • Use of (in the last 2 weeks) medications that may have antidepressant properties (ex. some herbal supplements)
  • Known allergies to bupropion
  • Currently lactating, pregnant or believe you are likely to be pregnant (enrolled subjects who are not using reliable contraception and have engaged in sexual intercourse since their last menstrual period will be given a self-administered pregnancy test.)
  • Left-handed/ambidextrous
  • Evidence of neurological illness
  • Serious suicide or homicide risk

Concomitant medications other than those listed in the exclusion criteria will be considered on an individual basis. Oral contraceptives will be allowed.

  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00205946

Locations
United States, Massachusetts
The Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02114
Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, 02138
Sponsors and Collaborators
Affective Neuroscience Laboratory
Massachusetts General Hospital
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Diego A Pizzagalli, PhD Harvard University
  More Information

Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Harvard University  This link exits the ClinicalTrials.gov site

Responsible Party: Harvard University ( Diego Pizzagalli, Principal Investigator )
Study ID Numbers: 2004-P-002234-1, 2004-P002234-1
Study First Received: September 13, 2005
Last Updated: December 4, 2007
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00205946  
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government

Keywords provided by Affective Neuroscience Laboratory:
Reward Processing
Wellbutrin
Bupropion

Study placed in the following topic categories:
Dopamine
Depression
Mental Disorders
Bupropion
Mood Disorders
Depressive Disorder, Major
Depressive Disorder
Behavioral Symptoms

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors
Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors
Neurotransmitter Agents
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Therapeutic Uses
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Psychotropic Drugs
Dopamine Agents
Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation
Central Nervous System Agents
Pharmacologic Actions
Antidepressive Agents

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on January 16, 2009