Functional Neuroimaging of Alcoholism Vulnerability: Probing Glutamate and Reward, Using the mGluR5 Inhibitor Mavoglurant

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of Mavoglurant in clarifying the neurobiology of alcoholism risk. This is a one-site, randomized, within subjects, counterbalanced double-blind study of a single dose (200mg) of Mavoglurant and placebo.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Familial Alcoholism Vulnerability
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Mavoglurant (AFQ056); Drug: Placebo

Detailed Description

This project explores the effects of 1 dose of Mavoglurant, an experimental non-competitive antagonist to metabotropic glutamate receptor-5 (mGlur5) developed by Novartis, in a double-blind, randomized, counterbalanced manner on alcoholism risk-relevant tasks. Drug/placebo will be administered on 2 separate visits separated by 1 week. More specifically, this project examines 4 functional MRI tasks related to different aspects of reward and/or impulsivity-related behavior in different contexts, compares the underlying neural circuitry across tasks, and uses a pharmacologic probe of the glutamatergic system to examine N-methyl-D-Aspartate and Dopamine (NMDA/DA) interactions. The combined measures provide the opportunity to advance our understanding of specific aspects of brain function related to familial alcoholism vulnerability in an already well characterized population as some members evolve into alcohol abuse. In addition, as well as conventional within-task analyses, functional network connectivity and allied approaches will be used to examine brain networks across the tasks.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 80
• Phase: Early Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Godfrey D Pearlson, MD; Phone Number: 203-737-3416; Email: godfrey.pearlson@hhchealth.org

Study Locations

• United States
  • Connecticut
    • Hartford, Connecticut, United States, 06106
      • Recruiting
      • Hartford Hospital
      • Contact: Godfrey D Pearlson, MD; Phone Number: 203-737-3416; Email: godfrey.pearlson@hhchealth.org
      • Principal Investigator: Godfrey D Pearlson, MD

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 45 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Ages 18-45 years
• Estimated full-scale IQ>70
• Individual can cooperate with all study procedures
• No history of neurological disorder (e.g., epilepsy)
• No major medical condition (e.g., cancer)
• No history of significant head trauma
• Stable medication treatment 6 weeks prior to study enrollment
• Negative urine drug and breathe alcohol test at time of MRI scan
• Negative urine pregnancy test at time of MRI scan
• No MR contra-indications (e.g., in-body metal implant, severe claustrophobia)
• No contra-indications to study drug

Exclusion Criteria:

• A diagnosis of any psychotic disorder, or current mood or anxiety disorders under DSM-V, using the SCID-V-RV psychiatric interview
• A current diagnosis of: a) Alcohol use disorder, if severe (AUD, mild or moderate OK if no craving, tolerance, and withdrawal 3 months prior to interview) b) Substance use disorder
• Report of psychotic disorder in a 1º relative
• Auditory or visual impairment that interferes with test-taking
• Prenatal exposure to alcohol plus currently meeting criteria for features of fetal alcohol syndrome
• Not speaking English fluently or being a non-native English speaker, or being educated in a primary language other than English > grade 1
• Intellectual Disability (Full Scale IQ<70)
• Traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness > 30 minutes or concussion in last 30 days
• Presence or history of neurosurgery or any neurologic illness that may affect brain physiology (e.g., epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis), including focal brain lesion seen on structural MRI (all structural scans are read by a board certified radiologist)
• A current major medical condition (e.g. cancer, heart failure)
• Current pregnancy (all females will be tested with urine screens on the day of MRI)
• Women not on an effective form of birth control/contraception or abstinent during time of study visits to prevent exposure of the investigational drug to suspected fetus
• Current substance use with the exception of marijuana (THC), provided last use of THC was 24+ hours before visit (All participants will receive a urine screen for the presence of marijuana, cocaine, opiates and a breath screen to detect the presence of alcohol)
• Inability to comprehend the consent form appropriately
• Inability to cooperate with study procedures
• Other specific fMRI exclusions include metal devices, clips or fragments in body (orbital xray performed if needed)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: FHP; Mavoglurant-Placebo; Family History Positive (FHP) for alcoholism will be given a single dose of AFQ056 (200 mg) then placebo in two separate experimental study visits separated by 1 week. Drug and Placebo administered 2 hours prior to the MRI and other measures.	Drug: Mavoglurant (AFQ056); Two 100mg tablets of Mavoglurant will be administered on the morning of one of the two experimental days by a RN or the physician investigator.; Drug: Placebo; Two matching tablets of placebo will be administered on the morning of one of the two experimental days by an RN or the physician investigator.
Experimental: FHP; Placebo-Mavoglurant; Family History Positive (FHP) or alcoholism will be given a single dose of placebo then AFQ056 (200 mg) in two separate experimental study visits separated by 1 week. Drug and Placebo administered 2 hours prior to the MRI and other measures.	Drug: Mavoglurant (AFQ056); Two 100mg tablets of Mavoglurant will be administered on the morning of one of the two experimental days by a RN or the physician investigator.; Drug: Placebo; Two matching tablets of placebo will be administered on the morning of one of the two experimental days by an RN or the physician investigator.
Experimental: FHN; Mavoglurant-Placebo; Family History Negative (FHN) for alcoholism will be given a single dose of AFQ056 (200 mg) then placebo in two separate experimental study visits separated by 1 week. Drug and Placebo administered 2 hours prior to the MRI and other measures.	Drug: Mavoglurant (AFQ056); Two 100mg tablets of Mavoglurant will be administered on the morning of one of the two experimental days by a RN or the physician investigator.; Drug: Placebo; Two matching tablets of placebo will be administered on the morning of one of the two experimental days by an RN or the physician investigator.
Experimental: FHN; Placebo-Mavoglurant; Family History Negative (FHN) for alcoholism will be given a single dose of placebo then AFQ056 (200 mg) in two separate experimental study visits separated by 1 week. Drug and Placebo administered 2 hours prior to the MRI and other measures.	Drug: Mavoglurant (AFQ056); Two 100mg tablets of Mavoglurant will be administered on the morning of one of the two experimental days by a RN or the physician investigator.; Drug: Placebo; Two matching tablets of placebo will be administered on the morning of one of the two experimental days by an RN or the physician investigator.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Nucleus accumbens (Nacc)/Ventral striatum (VS) BOLD activation during A1 phase in FHP on study medication vs. placebo	Changes in NAcc/VS BOLD (Blood-oxygen-level-dependent) activation during the A1 loss anticipation prospect phase of the MRI Monetary Incentive Delay task in FHP while on mavoglurant compared to placebo	Mavoglurant and Placebo administration are 1 week apart
BOLD activation to alcohol vs. non-alcohol stimuli during ACR task alcohol versus non-alcohol stimuli	Changes in BOLD response in FHP to alcohol versus non-alcohol stimuli in several brain clusters containing MFC, caudate, parahippocampal gyrus, temporal cortex and cerebellum, when administered mavoglurant compared to placebo	Mavoglurant and Placebo administration are 1 week apart

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Dynamic Causal Modeling (DCM)-determined relationships between nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and -medial PFC BOLD signal during MSDM task	Dynamic Causal Modeling (DCM)-determined relationships between nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and -medial PFC BOLD signal during MSDM fMRI task in FHP while on mavoglurant compared to placebo	Mavoglurant and Placebo administration are 1 week apart
Regional differences in BOLD signal	Impairment of top down inhibitory control and related cortical activation of the executive control network in FHP while on mavoglurant compared to placebo measured by regional differences in BOLD signaling	Mavoglurant and Placebo administration are 1 week apart

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Yale University
• Collaborators: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Godfrey D Pearlson, MD, Yale University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 17, 2022
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 5, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 10, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): January 24, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): October 9, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 6, 2025
• Last Verified: October 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Substance-Related Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Alcohol-Related Disorders; Alcoholism; mavoglurant
• Other Study ID Numbers: HHC-2021-0006; 2P50AA012870-21 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract); 2000032425 (Other Identifier: Yale IRB)

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.: Yes