Characterization of the Prosocial and Prosexual Effects of GHB

July 25, 2019 updated by: University of Zurich

Multimodal Characterization of the Prosocial and Prosexual Effects of GHB Assessing Behavior, fMRI, EEG, and Neuroendocrine Mechanisms

The purpose of this study is to determine whether gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) has prosocial and prosexual effects in healthy male participants, and to characterize these putative effects via behavioral tests, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and neuroendocrine parameters. The investigators predict that GHB in fact has prosocial and prosexual effects which can be neurobiologically characterized using the assessed methods. Such effects would be of high interest for the treatment of mental disorders which involve impairments of social interaction and sexual function such as major depression or autism.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Introduction

Gammahydroxybutyrate (GHB) is an endogenous short-chain fatty acid and discussed as a neurotransmitter (Bessman and Fishbein, 1963) with high affinity to specific GHB (Benavides et al., 1982; Snead, 2000) and α4βδ-gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)A receptors (Absalom et al., 2012) that also binds with lower affinity to GABAB receptors (Engberg and Nissbrandt, 1993). It is internationally used as standard treatment for narcolepsy with cataplexy (Alshaikh et al., 2012), and in some European countries for alcohol withdrawal and craving (Keating, 2014). Additionally, recent randomized controlled studies showed therapeutic effects in fibromyalgia (Spaeth et al., 2013). Anecdotal reports from GHB abusers indicate mood enhancing, prosocial and prosexual effects of the drug (Sumnall et al., 2008), which were not objectively assessed so far. Impaired social decision making is a behavioral finding in depression (Pulcu et al., 2014), that is related to social withdrawal symptoms. Moreover, sexual dysfunction is both a symptom of depression and an adverse effect of most antidepressant medications (Kennedy and Rizvi, 2009), with a deteriorating impact on quality of life measures. Due to its unique pharmacologic effects on sleep, daytime vigilance, pain, and social interaction, GHB was recently proposed as experimental therapeutic for the treatment of depression (Bosch et al., 2012).

Study Aims

A) Investigating the putative prosocial effects of GHB in humans B) Investigating the putative prosexual effects of GHB in humans C) Investigating the neuroendocrine mechanisms of putative prosocial and prosexual effects of GHB in humans D) Investigating electrophysiological effects of GHB in decision-making in humans E) Investigating the functional neurobiology of GHB and its putative prosexual effects in humans

Study Design

A) The effects of GHB on social cognition, sexual arousal, neuroendocrine parameters, and EEG measures in healthy subjects: GHB (20 mg/kg p.o.) was tested in 16 healthy males, using a randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over design. Subjective effects on mood were assessed by visual analogue scales (VAS) and the GHB Specific Questionnaire (GSQ). Prosocial behavior was examined by the Charity Donation Task, the Social Value Orientation test, and the Reciprocity Task. We assessed reaction time and motor performance using the Delayed Matching to Sample and the Reaction Time tasks from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). We assessed social cognition using the Multifaceted Empathy Task (MET) and the Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC). We assessed memory using a German version of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learing Task. Sexual arousal was assessed using the Sexual Arousal and Desire Inventory (SADI), sexual perception was assessed using a self-designed Sexual Arousal Task (SAT). Furthermore, the investigators assessed GHB effects on brain electrophysiological activity using electroencephalography (EEG) and a flanker task for the assessment of error-related negativity. Blood plasma levels of GHB, oxytocin, testosterone, progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), cortisol, aldosterone, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were determined.

B) The effects of GHB on neuronal networks and sexual arousal in healthy subjects - an fMRI study: The investigators performed a characterization of the putative prosexual effects of GHB (35 mg/kg vs. placebo p.o.) in 19 healthy participants. Questionnaires (VAS, SADI, GSQ) were used to assess subjective aspects. Brain reactivity towards erotic vs. neutral pictures of persons, as well as resting state connectivity and arterial spin labelling (ASL) was investigated with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

19

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Locations

  • Switzerland
      • Zurich, Switzerland, 8032
        • Hospital for Psychiatry, University of Zurich

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

Ages Eligible for Study

16 years to 38 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Healthy male subjects.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any Axis-I DSM-IV psychiatric disorder, any form of addiction or regular illegal drug use (lifetime use >5 occasions) with exception of occasional cannabis use, a lifetime history of GHB use, a neurological disorder or head injury, clinically relevant medical diseases, a family history of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and any use of prescription drugs.

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: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Drug: GHB 35 mg/kg p.o.
GHB 35 mg/kg p.o.
Other Names:
  • Sodium Oxybate
Drug: GHB 20 mg/kg p.o.
GHB 20 mg/kg p.o.
Other Names:
  • Sodium Oxybate
Experimental: GHB
GHB, Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate, two doses (20 and 35 mg/kg p.o.)
Drug: GHB 35 mg/kg p.o.
GHB 35 mg/kg p.o.
Other Names:
  • Sodium Oxybate
Drug: GHB 20 mg/kg p.o.
GHB 20 mg/kg p.o.
Other Names:
  • Sodium Oxybate

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Sexual Arousal
Time Frame: 14 days
Changes in sexual arousal after GHB challenge compared to placebo (Sexual Arousal and Desire Inventory [SADI], Sexual Arousal Task [SAT], brain reactivity towards erotic vs. neutral pictures ([fMRI-Task])
14 days
Social Cognition and Behavior
Time Frame: 14 days
Changes in social cognition and behavior after GHB challenge compared to placebo (Charity Donation Task, Social Value Orientation test, Reciprocity Task, Multifaceted Empathy Task [MET], Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition [MASC])
14 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Composite measure of Neuroendocrine Parameters
Time Frame: 14 days
Testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, aldosterone, ACTH, progesterone, oxytocin plasma levels after GHB challenge compared to placebo
14 days
electroencephalography (EEG) activity
Time Frame: 14 days
EEG activity during a flanker task after GHB challenge compared to placebo
14 days
fMRI activity
Time Frame: 14 days
Brain activity in fMRI after GHB challenge compared to placebo (Picture-Task, Resting State Connectivity, ASL)
14 days

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Zurich

Collaborators

University of Vienna
University of Salerno
University of Freiburg
University of Regensburg

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Erich Seifritz, Professor, University of Zurich

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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

February 1, 2012

Primary Completion (Actual)

November 1, 2014

Study Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 14, 2015

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 16, 2015

First Posted (Estimate)

January 19, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 29, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 25, 2019

Last Verified

July 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • PUK-GHB01

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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