Cyclical Neuroactive Steroid Changes, Arousal, and Proximal Suicide Risk: An Experimental Approach (CLEAR-3)

December 4, 2025 updated by: Tory Anne Eisenlohr-Moul, University of Illinois at Chicago
Female suicide attempts occur more often in the weeks before and after menses onset, and have been linked to ovarian hormone withdrawal. The proposed project will use a two-week intervention to stabilize hormones in females with recent suicidal thoughts; this paradigm is a safe way to learn how cyclical changes in hormones and their metabolites influence short-term risk of suicide. The data acquired will contribute to our understanding of the biology of acute suicide risk and advance efforts to develop safe and effective treatments that eliminate predictable monthly worsening of suicide risk in reproductive-age females.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among women of reproductive age, and female suicide attempts occur most frequently around menses (perimenstrually), when estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) fall rapidly. A recent prospective study demonstrated that suicidal ideation (SI) and attempts peak perimenstrually in natural cycles, and that this perimenstrual worsening of SI can be prevented by administering stabilizing doses of E2+P4 (relative to placebo). Therefore, while E2+P4 withdrawal is a viable model of proximal suicide risk in females with SI, mechanisms are unclear. GABAergic neuroactive steroid metabolites of ovarian hormones (e.g., allopregnanolone), exert potent sedative and antidepressant effects; we hypothesize that acute perimenstrual withdrawal from these hormone metabolites may increase suicide risk by increasing hyperarousal and hopelessness. The long-term objectives of this research are to (1) use the menstrual cycle as a model to probe the proximal mechanisms of suicide, and (2) develop long-term treatments that eliminate hormonal contributions to suicide. The objective of the current work is to use a crossover placebo-controlled trial of E2+P4 stabilization (vs. natural E2+P4 withdrawal under placebo) in the perimenstrual weeks to probe behavioral (hopelessness, hyperarousal) and molecular/genetic (neuroactive steroid levels, mRNA expression for enzymes critical for synthesizing neuroactive steroids) mediators of perimenstrual suicide risk. Design: In this mechanistic trial, 90 female outpatients with past-month SI will complete two counterbalanced conditions: (1) two weeks of placebo during natural perimenstrual E2+P4 withdrawal, and (2) two weeks of perimenstrual E2+P4 stabilization (.1mg/day transdermal estradiol + 200mg/day oral micronized progesterone) to prevent withdrawal. Five labs per condition will capture changes in gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) quantified neuroactive steroids, messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression for enzymes critical for synthesizing neuroactive steroids, and physiological arousal. Our app (BiAffect) will collect ecological momentary assessments (EMA; 4x/day) of behavioral constructs and SI, and will passively track arousal via movement and typing speed instability. Specific Aims. Aim 1 is to evaluate hyperarousal and hopelessness as interacting mechanisms by which perimenstrual E2+P4 withdrawal (vs. experimental E2+P4 stabilization) increases proximal suicide risk. Aim 2 is to evaluate neuroactive steroid withdrawal as a mechanism by which perimenstrual E2+P4 withdrawal (vs. stabilization) increases proximal suicide risk. If appropriate, a multilevel path model will test a path in which E2+P4 withdrawal (vs. stabilization) causes neuroactive steroid withdrawal, which increases in hopelessness and hyperarousal, which in turn increases proximal suicide risk. Relevance. By conducting a mechanistic experiment to probe the mediators of a known cause of proximal suicide risk, the proposed research responds to public calls from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-sponsored Suicide Research Prioritization Agenda to identify modifiable causes of proximal suicide risk.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
124

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Tory A Eisenlohr-Moul, Ph.D.
  • Phone Number: 859-317-0503
  • Email: temo@uic.edu

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: Sekine Ozturk, B.A.
  • Phone Number: (312) 355-2659
  • Email: sozturk2@uic.edu

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60612
        • University of Illinois Neuropsychiatric Institute

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 45 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Ability to adhere to medication regimen
  • Speaks English
  • Assigned female at birth with intact ovaries
  • Premenopausal
  • Normal menstrual cycles between 25-35 days
  • Under current care of an outpatient mental health provider with visits occurring at least once every 3 months.
  • At least 1 year postpartum.
  • Willing to use a barrier method of birth control during the study.
  • Normal weight (BMI between 18-29)
  • Must report at least some recent suicidal ideation (in the past month) at the time of recruitment.
  • Must be categorized as having acceptably low imminent risk for suicidal crisis/attempt by a licensed clinical psychologist utilizing evidence-based clinical and research guidelines for imminent suicide risk management.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Must not be pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to become pregnant.
  • Must not be taking any form of exogenous hormones or hormonal intrauterine device, and must have ended previous use of hormonal preparations at least one month prior to the study.
  • Must not have a personal history of any chronic medical condition, including but not limited to metabolic or autoimmune disease, epilepsy, endometriosis, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hepatic, renal, or pulmonary disease, and no personal or first degree family history of thromboembolic events.
  • Any current cigarette smoking is exclusionary.
  • Must not report a history of clinical diagnosis or treatment for postpartum depression or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (Note: Premenstrual Dysphoric - - - Disorder diagnosis must have been made based on prospective daily ratings).
  • Must not report any history of manic episode, any history of psychotic symptoms, or current substance use disorder.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Transdermal Estradiol + Oral Micronized Progesterone
0.1 mg/24hr transdermal estradiol patch applied weekly and 100 mg oral micronized progesterone taken twice daily by mouth, for 14 days starting 7 days after a positive urine luteinizing hormone (LH) test.
Drug: Estradiol Transdermal Patch 0.1 mg/24 hrs
Estradiol transdermal patch delivering 0.1 mg/24 hour administered by affixing to skin for 14 days starting on day 7 after ovulation
Other Names:
  • Climara
Drug: Oral Micronized Progesterone 200mg
100 mg oral micronized progesterone taken orally twice daily for 14 days starting day 7 after ovulation (200mg total per day)
Other Names:
  • Prometrium
Drug: Inactive Clear Patch
Matching placebo patch administered by affixing to skin for 14 days starting on day 7 after ovulation
Other Names:
  • Placebo transdermal patch
Drug: Placebo capsule
Matching placebo capsules administered twice daily for 14 days starting day 7 after ovulation
Other Names:
  • Sugar pill
Experimental: Placebo Patch + Placebo Pills
Placebo patch (selected to match transdermal estradiol patch) applied weekly and placebo pills (blinded to match oral micronized progesterone) taken twice daily by mouth, for 14 days starting 7 days after a positive urine luteinizing hormone (LH) test.
Drug: Estradiol Transdermal Patch 0.1 mg/24 hrs
Estradiol transdermal patch delivering 0.1 mg/24 hour administered by affixing to skin for 14 days starting on day 7 after ovulation
Other Names:
  • Climara
Drug: Oral Micronized Progesterone 200mg
100 mg oral micronized progesterone taken orally twice daily for 14 days starting day 7 after ovulation (200mg total per day)
Other Names:
  • Prometrium
Drug: Inactive Clear Patch
Matching placebo patch administered by affixing to skin for 14 days starting on day 7 after ovulation
Other Names:
  • Placebo transdermal patch
Drug: Placebo capsule
Matching placebo capsules administered twice daily for 14 days starting day 7 after ovulation
Other Names:
  • Sugar pill

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Perimenstrual Change in Daily Adult Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (ASIQ) Scores
Time Frame: Mean daily rating in the perimenstrual phase (days +12 to +17 following a positive luteinizing hormone surge in urine on day=0) minus the mean daily rating in the midluteal phase (days +0 to +5)

The Adult Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (ASIQ) is a 25-item self-report questionnaire assessing suicidality. Each day, individuals rate each of 25 items on a scale from 1 (Not at All) to 6 (Extreme). Mean scores are computed, providing a single number for each day that represents the participant's mean suicidal ideation (1 to 6), with higher daily values representing more severe suicidal ideation.

Perimenstrual change scores are calculated for each person in each condition as the mean of scores in the perimenstrual phase (days +12 to +17 following a positive luteinizing hormone surge in urine on day=0) minus the mean in the midluteal phase (days +0 to +5). Therefore, positive values represent a perimenstrual increase in suicidal ideation, and negative values represent a perimenstrual decrease.
Mean daily rating in the perimenstrual phase (days +12 to +17 following a positive luteinizing hormone surge in urine on day=0) minus the mean daily rating in the midluteal phase (days +0 to +5)
Perimenstrual Change in Daily Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Screening Interview Planning Item Scores
Time Frame: Mean daily rating in the perimenstrual phase (days +12 to +17 following a positive luteinizing hormone surge in urine on day=0) minus the mean daily rating in the midluteal phase (days +0 to +5)

The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale is an interview designed to assess various aspects of suicide risk. In the present study, this questionnaire is administered daily via phone interview as part of a risk screening process. Here, we utilize a single dichotomous outcome from a single item representing suicidal planning from the C-SSRS interview: "Today, have you thought about how or when you might kill yourself?". Each day, individuals chose either "Yes" (coded as 1) or "No" (coded as 0).

Perimenstrual change scores are calculated for each person in each condition as the mean of scores in the perimenstrual phase (days +12 to +17 following a positive luteinizing hormone surge in urine on day=0) minus the mean in the midluteal phase (days +0 to +5). Therefore, positive values represent a perimenstrual increase in suicidal planning, and negative values represent a perimenstrual decrease.
Mean daily rating in the perimenstrual phase (days +12 to +17 following a positive luteinizing hormone surge in urine on day=0) minus the mean daily rating in the midluteal phase (days +0 to +5)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Perimenstrual Change in Daily Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) Short Form Scores
Time Frame: Mean daily rating in the perimenstrual phase (days +12 to +17 following a positive luteinizing hormone surge in urine on day=0) minus the mean daily rating in the midluteal phase (days +0 to +5)

Hopelessness is assessed with a daily Beck Hopelessness Scale (short form), a 10-item self-report measure with true-false items that assess hopelessness and the extent of positive and negative beliefs about the future. Summed scores range from 0 to 10. Scores provide a measure of the severity of self-reported hopelessness, with higher scores representing greater hopelessness.

Perimenstrual change scores are calculated for each person in each condition as the mean of scores in the perimenstrual phase (days +12 to +17 following a positive luteinizing hormone surge in urine on day=0) minus the mean in the midluteal phase (days +0 to +5). Therefore, positive values represent a perimenstrual increase in hopelessness, and negative values represent a perimenstrual decrease.
Mean daily rating in the perimenstrual phase (days +12 to +17 following a positive luteinizing hormone surge in urine on day=0) minus the mean daily rating in the midluteal phase (days +0 to +5)
Perimenstrual Change in Daily Brief Agitation Measure (BAM) Scores
Time Frame: Mean daily rating in the perimenstrual phase (days +12 to +17 following a positive luteinizing hormone surge in urine on day=0) minus the mean daily rating in the midluteal phase (days +0 to +5)

Agitation is assessed with a daily Brief Agitation Measure (BAM), a 3-item self-report measure in which participants rate their symptoms of agitation ranging from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 6 (Strongly Agree). Mean daily scores (ranging from 0 to 6) provide a measure of the severity of self-reported agitation, with higher scores representing greater agitation.

Perimenstrual change scores are calculated for each person in each condition as the mean of scores in the perimenstrual phase (days +12 to +17 following a positive luteinizing hormone surge in urine on day=0) minus the mean in the midluteal phase (days +0 to +5). Therefore, positive values represent a perimenstrual increase in agitation, and negative values represent a perimenstrual decrease.
Mean daily rating in the perimenstrual phase (days +12 to +17 following a positive luteinizing hormone surge in urine on day=0) minus the mean daily rating in the midluteal phase (days +0 to +5)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Illinois at Chicago

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Tory A Eisenlohr-Moul, Ph.D, University of Illinois at Chicago

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 15, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 1, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 25, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 29, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 2, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 19, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 4, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2019-0624

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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