Viewing Study NCT00767767


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Study NCT ID: NCT00767767
Status: COMPLETED
Last Update Posted: 2019-05-15
First Post: 2008-10-03
Is NOT Gene Therapy: False
Has Adverse Events: True

Brief Title: The Effect of Intravenous Anesthetics on Fear Learning and Memory
Sponsor: Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Organization:

Study Overview

Official Title: The Effect of Intravenous Anesthetics on Fear Learning and Memory
Status: COMPLETED
Status Verified Date: 2019-04
Last Known Status: None
Delayed Posting: No
If Stopped, Why?: Not Stopped
Has Expanded Access: False
If Expanded Access, NCT#: N/A
Has Expanded Access, NCT# Status: N/A
Acronym: None
Brief Summary: People often develop fearful responses to things, but have no conscious control over the fear. This is a basic form of unconscious memory, called "fear conditioning." Intravenous anesthetic drugs have remarkable effects on conscious memory, but it is unknown whether they have similar effects on these unconscious fear memories.

To address this question, the investigators will study 114 healthy adult volunteer subjects. The subject is given a very low dose of an anesthetic drug intravenously (i.e. through the bloodstream). The dose is so low that the subject might not even be able tell if they are getting the drug. While they are receiving the drug, the subject will perform a series of memory tests and a fear conditioning experiment, which are set up like a very simple computer game. To create the "fear response", subjects will occasionally receive a mildly uncomfortable shock to their arm. The subject is able to determine the highest level of shock that they will receive.

The investigators are doing this study because the investigators wish to know exactly how the drugs affect the way people process fear and emotion. This knowledge might one day be used in the treatment of some psychiatric disorders.
Detailed Description: People often develop fearful responses to things, but have no conscious control over the fear (e.g. phobias). This is a basic form of unconscious memory, called "fear conditioning." Intravenous anesthetic drugs have remarkable effects on conscious memory, but it is unknown whether they have similar effects on these unconscious fear memories.

To address this question, the investigators will study 114 healthy adult volunteer subjects. The subject is given a very low dose of an anesthetic drug intravenously (i.e. through the bloodstream). The dose is so low that the subject might not even be able tell if they are getting the drug. While they are receiving the drug, the subject will perform a series of memory tests and a fear conditioning experiment, which are set up like a very simple computer game. To create the "fear response", subjects will occasionally receive a mildly uncomfortable shock to their arm. The subject is able to determine the highest level of shock that they will receive.

The investigators are doing this study because the investigators wish to know exactly how the drugs affect the way people process fear and emotion. This knowledge might one day be used in the treatment of some psychiatric disorders.

Study Oversight

Has Oversight DMC: False
Is a FDA Regulated Drug?: None
Is a FDA Regulated Device?: None
Is an Unapproved Device?: None
Is a PPSD?: None
Is a US Export?: None
Is an FDA AA801 Violation?:

Secondary ID Infos

Secondary ID Type Domain Link View
K08GM083213 NIH None https://reporter.nih.gov/quic… View