Imaging CRF X NOP Interactions in Alcohol Use Disorder

June 1, 2026 updated by: Rajesh Narendran

Does a Hyperactive Nociceptin Opioid Peptide Receptor System Promote Relapse in Heavy Drinking AUD Subjects: a [C-11]NOP-1A and Hydrocortisone PET Study

This positron emission tomography imaging study uses [C-11]NOP-1A and hydrocortisone to image stress-modulating proteins in heavy drinking alcohol use disorder (AUD) subjects and healthy controls (HC). It will also characterize the role of these stress-regulating proteins in a relapse to alcohol.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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

Hydrocortisone administration leads to a 10 to 15% increase in [11C]NOP-1A VT in brain regions, including the amygdala. Increased NOP measured in response to cortisol, and by extension, corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF), in this paradigm reflects an individual's ability to enhance N/OFQ transmission during stress. Here, the investigators propose to use this novel imaging paradigm to compare hydrocortisone-induced increases in [11C]NOP-1A binding (DVT) in the amygdala (and secondary reward regions) in heavy drinking AUD subjects Vs. HC. The hypothesis that hydrocortisone-induced increases in [11C]NOP-1A binding (DVT) will be larger in heavy drinking AUD relative to HC (aim 1), and this will predict relapse to alcohol (aim 2). Such a result will support the presence of a hyperactive NOP receptor system in response to increases in cortisol/CRF during conditions such as stress, chronic pain, etc., promoting relapse in heavy drinking AUD subjects.

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 (Estimated)

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.
90

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.
  • Early Phase 1

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.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15213
        • Recruiting
        • University of Pittsburgh

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

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Heavy drinking alcohol use disorder subjects (AUD)

  1. Males or females between 18 and 55 years old
  2. fulfill DSM-5 criteria for moderate or severe ( > or = 4 criteria) alcohol use disorder
  3. fulfill both NIAAA heavy drinking91 (consuming for males > or = 5 drinks on any day; for females > or = 4 drinks on any day) and WHO high-risk/very high-risk drinking level criteria66 (for males > or = 30 drinks/week; for females > or = 20 drinks/week) in the past four weeks prior to enrollment
  4. No lifetime DSM-5 psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, or developmental disorders.
  5. No comorbid current DSM-5 depressive or anxiety disorders
  6. No other current DSM-5 substance use disorders, including opioids, cocaine, amphetamines, sedative-hypnotics, hallucinogens, and inhalants. Subjects with current moderate and severe DSM-5 cannabis use disorder will also be excluded
  7. Not currently on psychotropic medications that can directly (e.g., buprenorphine) or indirectly influence binding to NOP (e.g., medications that alter dopamine, GABA, glutamate, etc.) or modify alcohol consumption patterns (e.g., naltrexone, acamprosate, disulfiram);
  8. No regular use of medical medications that can potentially interact with hydrocortisone (other corticosteroids, mifepristone, etc.) or increase the risks associated with arterial line removal (warfarin, clopidogrel, aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen, etc.)
  9. No clinically significant medical or neurological illnesses, including a history of immune compromise, HPA-axis dysfunction, Cushing's syndrome, glaucoma, morbid obesity, severe hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia, all of which are contraindications for hydrocortisone
  10. No history of anemia or history of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, thrombocytopenia or thrombocytosis
  11. Not currently pregnant or breast-feeding
  12. No history of complicated alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as seizures, alcoholic hallucinosis, delirium tremens, or required admission to an inpatient detox program to prevent such symptoms
  13. Not currently employed as a radiation worker or has participated in a radiation-related research protocol within the previous year such that the total cumulative annual radiation dose (i.e., from participation in previous radioactive drug studies and this study) would exceed the radiation dose limits specified in the FDA regulations (i.e., 21 CFR 361.1) that govern the research use of radiotracers
  14. No metallic objects in the body that are contraindicated for MRI.

Healthy Control subjects (HC)

  1. Males or females between 18 and 55 years old
  2. No DSM-5 psychiatric or substance use disorders other than tobacco use disorder
  3. No NIAAA heavy drinking in the past year (> or = 5 drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks per week for males; > or = 4 drinks on any day or more than 7 drinks per week for females)
  4. 7 to 14 above.

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: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

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: PET
[C-11]NOP-1A
Radiation: Baseline [C-11]NOP-1A PET scan
Radiotracer
Drug: Hydrocortisone
Intravenous, 1 mg/Kg
Radiation: Post-hydrocortisone [C-11]NOP-1A PET scan
Radiotracer

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
Amygdala DELTA VT
Time Frame: Baseline/pre hydrocortisone, and 3-hours post hydrocortisone
VT is the volume of distribution expressed relative to total plasma radioligand concentration; DELTA VT is the change from baseline to post-hydrocortisone
Baseline/pre hydrocortisone, and 3-hours post hydrocortisone
Total number of negative ETG tests
Time Frame: over 8-week follow-up
Represents level of abstinence in contingency management
over 8-week follow-up

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
Midbrain DELTA VT
Time Frame: Baseline/pre hydrocortisone and 3-hours post hydrocortisone
VT is the volume of distribution expressed relative to total plasma radioligand
Baseline/pre hydrocortisone and 3-hours post hydrocortisone
Ventral striatum DELTA VT
Time Frame: Baseline/pre hydrocortisone and 3-hours post hydrocortisone
VT is the volume of distribution expressed relative to total plasma radioligand
Baseline/pre hydrocortisone and 3-hours post hydrocortisone
Orbitofrontal Cortex DELTA VT
Time Frame: Baseline/pre hydrocortisone and 3-hours post hydrocortisone
VT is the volume of distribution expressed relative to total plasma radioligand
Baseline/pre hydrocortisone and 3-hours post hydrocortisone
Relapse to alcohol
Time Frame: over 8-weeks follow up
Abstained; Relapsed; Drop-out
over 8-weeks follow up
Relapse to alcohol severity (self-reported)
Time Frame: over 8- week follow up
Heavy drinking days/week and Abstinent days/week
over 8- week follow up

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Perceived Stress Scale
Time Frame: over 8-week follow up
mean and peak scores during follow-up
over 8-week follow up
Penn Alcohol Craving Scale
Time Frame: over 8-week follow up
mean and peak score during follow up
over 8-week follow up
Plasma cortisol
Time Frame: Baseline/pre hydrocortisone and post-hydrocortisone
Plasma cortisol measured in blood
Baseline/pre hydrocortisone and post-hydrocortisone

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.
Rajesh Narendran

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

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: Rajesh Narendran, University of Pittsburgh

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.
June 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
June 30, 2031

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
June 30, 2032

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).
May 16, 2026

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.
May 22, 2026

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.
May 29, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

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.
June 3, 2026

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.
June 1, 2026

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.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • STUDY25050039
  • R01AA032487 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

All individual participant data that underlie the results reported in the publication or upon study completion will be shared after de-identification via the NIAAA Data Archive

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Upon publication or study completion. Data will be available indefinitely on the data archives

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Available as per the NIAAA Data Archive repository criteria for access

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL

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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