Investigation of Cocaine Addiction Using mGluR5 PET and fMRI
Cocaine Dependence
About this trial
This is an interventional other trial for Cocaine Dependence focused on measuring Cocaine Dependence, Cocaine Addiction
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
All participants:
- Age 21 - 55 years
- Provide voluntary, written, informed consent
- Physically healthy by medical history, physical, neurological, ECG, and laboratory examinations
- For females: non-lactating, no longer of child-bearing potential or agreeing to practice effective contraception during the study (e.g., established use of oral, injected or implanted hormonal methods of contraception; placement of an intrauterine device [IUD] or intrauterine system [IUS]; barrier methods: condom or occlusive cap [diaphragm or cervical/vault caps] with spermicidal foam/gel/film/cream/suppository; male partner sterilization; true abstinence when this is in line with the preferred and usual lifestyle of the subject), and a negative serum pregnancy test
Participants with a cocaine use disorder:
- DSM-5 criteria for moderate or severe cocaine-use disorder
- Recent street cocaine use in excess of quantities used in the current study
- Intravenous and/or smoked (crack/freebase) cocaine use
- Positive urine toxicology screen for cocaine
Healthy comparison participants:
- Successful completion of an [18F]FPEB scan as part of another Yale approved protocol as a healthy control/comparison subject
Exclusion Criteria:
All participants:
- Any condition that, in the opinion of investigators, would prevent compliance with the study protocol
- A history of significant medical or neurological illness (e.g., coronary artery disease, significant anemia, seizures)
- Current use of psychotropic and/or potentially psychoactive medications
- Physical or laboratory evidence of pregnancy
- Meet any additional PET/MR imaging-related exclusion criteria, including:
- Presence of MRI incompatible implants and other contraindications for MRI (e.g., pacemaker, artificial joints, non-removable body piercings, etc.)
- Participation in other research studies involving ionizing radiation within one year of the PET scans that would cause the participant to exceed the yearly dose limits
- History of a bleeding disorder or are currently taking anticoagulants (such as Coumadin, Heparin, Pradaxa, Xarelto).
- Claustrophobia
- Severe motor problems that prevent the subject from lying still for PET/MR imaging
- Complaints of chronic pain (e.g., as the result of rheumatoid arthritis)
- Current, past or anticipated exposure to radiation in the work place
Participants with a cocaine use disorder:
- Other drug use disorder (except for tobacco-use disorder)
- Less than 1 year of cocaine use disorder
- A DSM-5 major psychiatric diagnosis (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc.) unrelated to cocaine
Healthy comparison participants:
- Any DSM-5 major psychiatric diagnosis (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc.), except tobacco-use disorder
- Positive drug screen
Sites / Locations
- Connecticut Mental Health Center
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Arm 4
Active Comparator
Active Comparator
Active Comparator
Active Comparator
Psychiatric and Cognitive Testing
Cocaine Self-adminstration
Positron Emission Tomography
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
All participants will complete psychiatric assessment and cognitive testing.
This arm plans to assess the subjective (e.g., euphoric) and behavioral effects (e.g., self-administration) of cocaine in experienced, non-treatment seeking users of the drug in a human laboratory study of self-regulated cocaine administration.
All participants will complete a PET scan to assess mGluR5 receptors using [18-F]FPEB
All participants will complete one MRI scan to assess brain structure and function.