NCT06751784 Cross-over Study on the Influence of Fampridine on Working Memory in Mild to Moderate Depression
| NCT ID | NCT06751784 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | Phase 2 |
| Sponsor | University of Basel |
| Condition | Working Memory |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 38 participants |
| Start Date | 2025-05-22 |
| Primary Completion | 2026-07 |
Eligibility & Interventions
Eligibility Fast-Check
Enter your details for a quick preliminary check. This does not replace medical advice.
What to Expect as a Participant
You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.
In Phase 2, researchers evaluate early signs of effectiveness. You may be randomized to receive the active treatment or a comparator. Monitoring continues closely.
This trial targets 38 participants in total. It began in 2025-05-22 with a primary completion date of 2026-07.
⚠ 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
Cognitive deficits, including working memory deficits, are often present in depression and there are currently no effective pharmacological treatments targeting working memory deficits. Papassotiropoulos et al. (2024) has recently demonstrated that fampridine, a potassium channel blocker, can enhance working memory in healthy individuals with lower baseline performance, suggesting it may hold potential for addressing cognitive deficits in clinical populations. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate whether fampridine improves working memory performance in mild to moderate depression
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female * Major depressive episode confirmed by the Mini-DIPS. Currently mild to moderate (MADRS: 7-30). * Normotensive (BP: 90/60mmHg - 140/90mmHg). Sufficiently treated hypertensive subjects will be included. * BMI: 19 - 34,9 kg/m2 * Age: 18 - 55 years * Fluent in German * IC as documented by signature Exclusion Criteria: * Contraindications to the class of drugs under study, e.g. known hypersensitivity or allergy to 4-aminopyridine * Use of potassium channel blockers within the last 3 months * Treatment with OCT 2 inhibitors and -substrates (e.g. cimetidine, propranolol) * Treatment with antidepressants or antipsychotics within the last 3 months and throughout the study period * Current intake of psychoactive drugs (e.g. benzodiazepines, antidepressants, neuroleptics). * Other acute or chronic psychiatric disorder (e.g. psychosis, somatoform disorder, alcohol or drug abuse disorder) * Cognitive impairment (MoCA score \< 25) * MADRS item 10 \> 1 (suicidal tendency) * Risk of lowered seizure threshold (due to e.g. sleep deprivation, withdrawal of alcohol after alcohol abuse, hyponatraemia) * History of seizures * Acute cerebrovascular condition * Acute renal failure or severe renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance \< 30 ml/min per 1.73 m2) * Bradycardia \< 50/min during clinical examination. * History of malignant cancers * Walking problems (e.g. due to dizziness) * Other clinically significant concomitant disease states (e.g. hepatic dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma) * Clinically significant laboratory or ECG abnormality that could be a safety issue in the study * Severe somatic or neurological comorbidities * Smoking including all nicotine containing smoking systems and devices (\>10 cigarettes/units per day). Failure to withstand a test day without craving, due to regular consummation patterns. * Pregnancy or breast feeding. Intention to become pregnant during the study participation. * Known or suspected non-compliance * Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language or psychological problems of the participant * Participation in another study with an investigational drug within the 30 days preceding and during the present study * Enrolment of the investigator, his/her family members, employees and other dependent persons
Contact & Investigator
Dominique de Quervain, Prof. MD
STUDY CHAIR
Research Cluster Molecular and Cognitive Neurosciences
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT06751784 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, up to 55 Years, studying Working Memory. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
What phase is the NCT06751784 trial and what does that mean for participants?
Phase 2 trials evaluate whether the treatment shows signs of effectiveness while continuing to monitor safety. More participants are enrolled than in Phase 1 to help refine the treatment protocol.
Is NCT06751784 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT06751784 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at christiane.gerhards@unibas.ch for enrollment information.
Where is the NCT06751784 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at Basel, Switzerland.
Who is sponsoring the NCT06751784 clinical trial?
NCT06751784 is sponsored by University of Basel. The principal investigator is Dominique de Quervain, Prof. MD at Research Cluster Molecular and Cognitive Neurosciences. The trial plans to enroll 38 participants.