Relationship Between Brain and Heart Glucose Metabolism in Alcohol Use Disorder

Enrolling by invitation · Phase 2/Phase 3

Conditions studied: Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), Alcohol Drinking

In brief

The goal of this study is to learn more about how a nutritional supplement "ketone ester" (deltaG ®) has an effect on brain and heart function and on alcohol consumption in individuals with and without alcohol use disorder. The study will use Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) scans after a single dose of ketone ester or Placebo in 10 people with alcohol use disorder and 10 healthy control volunteers.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT05015881

Run by

University of Pennsylvania

People needed

20

Starts

2021-11-01

Expected to finish

2027-12-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-03-30

Who can join

Age: 21 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Inclusion criteria for both study groups (AUD and controls)
• Age 21 years to 65 years old.
• Willingness to provide signed, informed consent and commit to completing the procedures in the study
• Participants must be informed of the investigational nature of this study and provide written informed consent in accordance with institutional and federal guidelines prior to study-specific procedures.
• Participants must agree to not consume alcohol beverages for 24 hours prior to each laboratory session.
• Inclusion criteria for the AUD group:
• Meets DSM-5 criteria for current AUD
• Participants report average weekly ethanol consumption of at least 15 standard drinks weekly over the past month prior to consent (self-report)
• Minimum 1 year history of heavy drinking (self-report).
• Must have had last drink within 1 week of PET visits.
• Alcohol specified as the preferred drug (self-report).
• Inclusion criteria for the control group:
• AUDIT score < 6
• Drinks alcohol 15 standard drinks or less per month and 3 or less standard drinks per occasion.
• Exclusion both groups:
• Females who are pregnant or breast-feeding will not be eligible for this study. Female participants of child-bearing potential will have a urine pregnancy test prior to FDG injection.
• Unwilling or unable to refrain from use, within 24 hours of FDG PET/CT scan procedures, psychoactive medications or medication that may affect study results (e.g., analgesics containing narcotics, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs).
• Current DSM-5 diagnosis of a major psychiatric disorder (other than nicotine use disorders, or marijuana use disorders that are mild/moderate in both groups; and alcohol in the AUD group) that required hospitalization, or that required daily medications for over 4 weeks in the past year (i.e., antidepressants; anticholinergics; antipsychotics; anxiolytics; lithium; psychotropic drugs not otherwise specified (nos) including herbal products (no drugs with psychomotor effects or with anxiolytics, stimulant, antipsychotic, or sedative properties); sedatives/hypnotics).
• Positive urine drug screen positive for any substances, other than marijuana, on study visits (may be repeated once and if the result is negative on repeat it is not exclusionary).
• Serious or unstable medical or psychological conditions that, in the opinion of the investigator would compromise the subject's safety or successful participation in the study.
• Currently suffering from or with a history of stroke and/or stroke related spasticity per medical record review or self report.
• History of seizures per medical record review or self report.
• HIV positive, as the human immunodeficiency virus may affect the brain, per medical record review or self report or by testing at screening.
• Head trauma with loss of consciousness for more than 30 minutes or associated with skull fracture or inter-cranial bleeding or abnormal MRI. (self-report, medical record review).
• Presence of ferromagnetic objects in the body that are contraindicated for MRI of the head, fear of enclosed spaces, or other standard contraindication to MRI (self-report checklist) or PET scanner.

Where it is running

• University of Pennsylvania Center for Studies of Addiction — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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