Neural Correlates of Stress Hormones (Cort-fMRI)

Why Does Cortisol Enhance Memory Retrieval in Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder? Investigating the Neuronal Correlates of Cortisol Administration and the Effects of Stress Exposure

To investigate which neuronal correlates underlie cortisol-induced enhancement of memory retrieval in PTSD and BPD.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: PTSD; Borderline Personality Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Placebo; Drug: Hydrocortisone

Detailed Description

The investigators have recently shown that hydrocortisone enhances rather than impairs memory retrieval in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD). In contrast, in healthy participants memory retrieval was impaired after hydrocortisone compared to placebo.

The proposed studies aim to further investigate these findings and to understand the underlying neuronal correlates. Thus, the mechanisms of enhanced memory retrieval after hydrocortisone in patients with BPD and PTSD will be investigated by fMRI.

In a placebo-controlled study, the effects of 10mg hydrocortisone on brain activity, in particular the hippocampus, will be investigated in patients with PTSD and BPD and will be compared with those in healthy control participants. During the fMRI session, a declarative memory task (retrieval of a previous learned word list) and an autobiographical memory test will be performed. Effects of hydrocortisone on resting state brain activity and the neuronal correlates of memory retrieval will be analysed.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 78
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Berlin, Germany
    • Charite University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 40 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder
• Clinical diagnosis of PTSD
• females without psychiatric disorders as control group
• right handed

Exclusion Criteria:

• fMRI exclusion criteria e.g. metal implants, pregnancy, left-handedness, and claustrophobia.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Hydrocortisone; 10 mg hydrocortisone orally	Drug: Hydrocortisone; effects of hydrocortisone on memory while fMRI
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; placebo orally	Drug: Placebo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
brain activation after hydrocortisone	fMRI	20 min

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
memory retrieval after hydrocortisone	Retrieval of a previous learned word list	10 minutes
memory retrieval after hydrocortisone	autobiographic memory retrieval	20 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Charite University, Berlin, Germany

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: January 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2018
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 7, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 13, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): August 14, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 5, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 4, 2019
• Last Verified: February 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Personality Disorders; Borderline Personality Disorder; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Hydrocortisone
• Other Study ID Numbers: WI-3396-2