PET Imaging Study of Recovered Anorexics
Information source: University of Pittsburgh
Information obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov on August 08, 2008
Link to the current ClinicalTrials.gov record.
Condition(s) targeted: Anorexia Nervosa
Intervention: Fluoxetine (Drug)
Phase: N/A
Status: Recruiting
Sponsored by: University of Pittsburgh Official(s) and/or principal investigator(s):
Walter Kaye, M.D., Principal Investigator, Affiliation: UPMC
Overall contact:
Sharon D Barnes, PhD, Phone: 412-647-9964, Email: barnessd@upmc.edu
Summary
Several studies in the past suggest that individuals who have or had anorexia nervosa may
have alterations in brain serotonin. Serotonin seems to play an important role in regulating
anxiety, mood, and other symptoms found in anorexia nervosa. We will be using a technology
called Positron Emission Tomography (PET), which is a method used to take pictures of the
body, in this case, the brain. Study participants will undergo two baseline PET scans on the
first day of the study. They will then be given a medication called fluoxetine (also know as
Prozac) to take for 8 weeks. At the end of the 8th week, they will return for a third PET
scan. By comparing the brain scans, before and after fluoxetine treatment, we can understand
more about how treatment with fluoxetine affects the serotonin receptors in the brain. We
will be comparing brain serotonin system in women who have recovered from anorexia with
healthy control women who have never had an eating disorder in order to gain a better
understanding of changes in the serotonin system associated with eating disorders. This study
may help shed light on how to make fluoxetine a more effective treatment for anorexia
nervosa.
Clinical Details
Official title: PET Imaging of Dopaminergic Transmission and Serotonin Markers in Anorexia Nervosa
Study design: Basic Science, Open Label, Parallel Assignment
Primary outcome: serotonin level
Eligibility
Minimum age: 18 Years.
Maximum age: 45 Years.
Gender(s): Female.
Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Recovered from Anorexia Nervosa
- Not taking medication for emotional problems
- Regular menstrual cycle
Exclusion Criteria:
- Women who are pregnant or nursing
- Psychoactive medications in the past 30 days
- Neurological disorders.
Locations and Contacts
Sharon D Barnes, PhD, Phone: 412-647-9964, Email: barnessd@upmc.edu
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States; Recruiting
Additional Information
Starting date: June 2007
Ending date: June 2017
Last updated: May 21, 2008
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