| NCT ID | NCT06440577 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey |
| Condition | Decision Making |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 160 participants |
| Start Date | 2024-06-18 |
| Primary Completion | 2027-12 |
Eligibility & Interventions
Eligibility Fast-Check
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What to Expect as a Participant
You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.
This trial targets 160 participants in total. It began in 2024-06-18 with a primary completion date of 2027-12.
⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.
Brief Summary
Craving is the strong desire for something, such as for substances in drug addiction and food or other activities in everyday life. Recent work suggests craving can influence how people make decisions and assign value to choice options available to them, yet the neural mechanisms underlying these interactions between craving and valuation remain unknown. To address this, this study uses cognitive decision-making tasks that measure how much individuals will pay (from a study endowment) to have everyday consumer items or snack foods when they crave something specific (opioids or a specific snack, respectively). First, the study will identify the neural mechanisms for how drug craving (craving for opioids) interacts with valuation for consumer items that have associations with drug use or not in people receiving treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). This will be evaluated in the activity patterns and interactions among brain regions involved in craving and value assignment during decision-making. Then, the study will examine for parallel mechanisms for how food craving (craving for a specific snack) interacts with valuation for snack food items that have similar features to the craved snack or not in people receiving treatment for OUD and non-psychiatric community control participants.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * At least 18 years of age * Willingness to follow study requirements, as evidenced by an ability to provide written informed consent and read, understand, and complete the study procedures * Minimum of 6th grade reading level Additional inclusion criteria for participants with OUD: * Primary diagnosis of OUD encompassing heroin and/or painkiller use * Receiving medications for OUD treatment on an outpatient basis * At least 12-month history of opioid use Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to speak or read English * Active psychosis or mania * Current or past schizophrenia diagnosis * History of intellectual disability or developmental or neurological disorder, seizures or epilepsy, or loss consciousness lasting more than 30 minutes * Severe medical conditions requiring hospitalization or that, in the opinion of the study staff could compromise study participation * MRI contraindications (claustrophobia, nonremovable piercings, certain metal in the body etc.) or pregnancy Additional exclusion criteria for community control participants: * Positive urine drug screen * Current or past problematic substance use other than nicotine, and alcohol abuse confined to college or military service * Current or past bipolar disorder diagnosis * Use of central nervous system medications within the past 6 weeks (e.g., antidepressants, Ritalin)
Contact & Investigator
Anna Konova, PhD
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT06440577 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, studying Decision Making. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
Is NCT06440577 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT06440577 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at anna.konova@rutgers.edu for enrollment information.
Where is the NCT06440577 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at Piscataway, United States.
Who is sponsoring the NCT06440577 clinical trial?
NCT06440577 is sponsored by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. The principal investigator is Anna Konova, PhD at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. The trial plans to enroll 160 participants.