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
About the Study
Are you experiencing anxiety or depression and finding it hard to stay socially connected? Researchers from the University of California San Diego are conducting a study to explore the potential of pramipexole, a medication that increases dopamine activity in the brain, to improve social connectedness and functioning. Pramipexole has shown promise in enhancing motivation and behavior, offering hope for those who find current treatments insufficient.
By participating in this study, you could contribute to the development of more effective treatments for anxiety and depression. Improving social connections is crucial for mental health and overall well-being, and this research aims to provide new options for those struggling with social disconnection. Join researchers in this important study and help shape the future of mental health care. Sign up today!
Why Participate?
- 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.
Your Rights
- 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.
Who Can Participate?
- 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.
- Must not experience claustrophobia.
More Study Details
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.
About the Research Center
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.