RecruitingNot ApplicableNCT06412315

7T Amygdala and Citalopram Study

The Effects of Citalopram on the Brain's Response to Faces


Sponsor

University of Oxford

Enrollment

50 participants

Start Date

Feb 13, 2025

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Summary

The goal of this study is to investigate how a common antidepressant citalopram (which increases the levels of the chemical messenger serotonin), affects how a key area of the brain involved in depression (the amygdala) responds to emotional information. Healthy participants will undergo medical and psychiatric health screening, after which they will be assigned to receive either a single dose of citalopram (20mg) or placebo, and undergo brain scanning (7T fMRI) whilst viewing emotional faces. Since the scan uses high field strength, the investigators will be able to see effects of citalopram on different subfields within the amygdala which will help to understand how citalopram might be working.


Eligibility

Min Age: 18 YearsMax Age: 40 Years

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

This study uses ultra-high-field 7-Tesla MRI brain imaging to study the amygdala (the brain's emotion-processing center) and tests how the antidepressant citalopram affects it in healthy volunteers. The goal is to understand the biological basis of emotional responses and how antidepressants work in the brain. **You may be eligible if...** - You are a healthy adult willing to give informed consent - You are sufficiently fluent in English to complete tasks in the study **You may NOT be eligible if...** - You have metal implants, a pacemaker, or other MRI safety contraindications - You have a significant mental health history (such as major depression, borderline personality disorder, or bipolar disorder) - You have ADHD or autism spectrum disorder that significantly affects your daily functioning - You have any other condition that makes MRI unsafe Talk to your doctor to see if this trial is right for you.

This summary was AI-generated to explain the trial in plain language. It is not medical advice. Always discuss eligibility with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.

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Interventions

DRUGCitalopram

Participants will receive a single dose (20mg) citalopram. Tablets encapsulated to aid blinding. To take per oral once.

DRUGPlacebo

Participants will receive a single dose of placebo (sucrose). Tablets encapsulated to aid blinding. To take per oral once


Locations(1)

University of Oxford, Department of Psychiatry

Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

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NCT06412315


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