Research Center: University of California, San Diego
Location: La Jolla, CA
Lead Researcher: Charlie Taylor, Ph.D.
IRB: This study has been reviewed and approved by the UCSD Institutional Review Board

Feeling disconnected or withdrawn lately? You’re not alone. UCSD researchers, led by Dr. Charlie Taylor, are studying how social connection and motivation affect anxiety and depression. This study is designed for individuals not currently taking psychiatric medications and aims to explore the potential of a medication that increases dopamine activity in the brain to improve social connectedness and functioning.

Taking the first step can feel big, but your visit helps researchers understand new ways to support emotional well-being. Participation includes a few short visits, with compensation up to $300. Sign up today!

• Participants may receive a new potential treatment for anxiety and depression at no cost.
• Participants will be compensated up to $300 for participating in this study.
• Participants may experience improvements in feelings of social connectedness and functioning.
• Participants will be contributing valuable information that may benefit those with anxiety or depression in the future.
• Participants will be helping to advance medical research.

• If you decide to participate in the study and later feel that you no longer wish to be part of it, you can withdraw at any time.
• Any information that you provide will be kept strictly confidential, except as required by law.
• Qualified health professionals will monitor your health as it relates to the study.

• Must be aged 18-50.
• Must not be pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Must not have taken medication for anxiety, depression, or any other psychiatric symptoms in the last 14 days or fluoxetine (Prozac) in the past 30 days.
• Must be in San Diego for most of the time over the next 3 months.
• Must not have a permanent retainer.
• Must not have metal in the head.

The study team will explain the research in its entirety but some details are:

• Participants will be asked to complete eligibility questionnaires, a clinical interview lasting up to 2 hours, medical examination, blood and urine tests, and ECG.
• Eligible participants will be asked to complete baseline visit questionnaires, behavioral tasks, and fMRI scans over 1-2 visits, totaling about 5 hours.
• Eligible participants will be randomized into one of three treatment groups for 6 weeks, with weekly meetings with a physician for safety monitoring and dose adjustments.

University of California San Diego
This trial will be conducted out of the Positive Emotion and Anxiety Research Lab (PEARL). PEARL is located in the Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute (ACTRI) at the UCSD health campus in La Jolla, California. The ACTRI building has a fully functional research clinic in which study visits will take place.