Alcohol Use clinical trials at UCSD
7 in progress, 3 open to eligible people
AAT for Alcohol Use Disorder in Veterans
open to eligible people ages 18-65
The proposed study will test a novel treatment for alcohol use disorders (AUD) to determine if it helps Veterans reduce their hazardous drinking and recover from alcohol-related functional impairments across social, occupational, and domestic domains. To do so, the investigators will evaluate clinical, cognitive, and neural effects of a computer-delivered Approach Avoidance Training (AAT) treatment - which changes implicit tendencies to approach alcohol-related cues - in conjunction with standard VA care. The project will support RR&D's mission to improve Veterans' participation in their lives and community by determining if this innovative alternative technique can improve recovery outcomes for Veterans with AUD and exploring how the intervention works.
San Diego, California
Non-invasive Vagal Nerve Stimulation in Alcohol Use Disorder
open to eligible males ages 21-65
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a major health concern amongst Veterans as it causes poor health, lost days at work, impaired psychosocial functioning, and decreased quality of life. Current treatment options for AUD show limited effectiveness, which is exemplified by high relapse rates. Chronic heavy drinking results in psychological and physical distress during abstinence, including anxiety, irritability, and general discomfort, which increases the urge to drink to relieve these symptoms. The hypothesis of this study is that noninvasive vagal nerve stimulation (nVNS) can modify the perception of such inner bodily sensations of distress, and consequently reduces the drive to drink for relief. The aim of this study is to establish feasibility and acceptability of applying nVNS as a rehabilitative treatment for AUD in Veterans. The study will also evaluate the effect of nVNS on functional outcomes, quality of life, distress, and craving, and if nVNS alters neural activation patterns in brain regions involved in the perception and awareness of distress and pain.
San Diego, California
Practice Facilitation as a Strategy to Improve Alcohol Treatment Adoption and Implementation in HIV Care
open to eligible people ages 18 years and up
Despite availability of evidence-based alcohol reduction interventions (EBI), unhealthy alcohol use remains a barrier to HIV medication adherence, viral suppression and retention in HIV care and consequently HIV treatment as prevention (TASP). Guided by complementary implementation and evaluation frameworks-the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance), The investigators will conduct a Hybrid Type 3 effectiveness-implementation evaluating implementation trial testing whether practice facilitation, an evidence-based multifaceted implementation strategy increases reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of stepped care for unhealthy alcohol use in three Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Network of Integrated Clinical Systems (CNICS) HIV clinics located in Boston, San Diego, and Chapel Hill. The investigators will secondarily test whether practice facilitation is associated with decreased unhealthy alcohol use, and improved Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) adherence and viral suppression at the patient level. In practice facilitation, a practice coach will offer tools, resources, hands-on guidance, and content expertise to assist sites in offering a stepped care model of alcohol treatment to patients with unhealthy alcohol use. Stepped care will include brief intervention, cognitive behavioral therapy, and alcohol pharmacotherapy. The practice facilitation intervention will be rolled out sequentially across sites. There will be three phases at each site: pre-implementation planning, implementation with formative evaluation, and post-implementation summative evaluation. Using mixed methods, The investigators specifically propose to meet the following specific aims: (Aim 1) Tailor the practice facilitation intervention to each site using mixed methods (pre-implementation); (Aim 2a) Determine the effects of practice facilitation on implementation of stepped care (primary) and alcohol use and HIV-related outcomes (secondary) using interrupted time series analysis with synthetic controls (summative evaluation); (Aim 2b) Determine the effect of practice facilitation on reach, adoption, and maintenance of evidence-based alcohol treatment using mixed methods (formative evaluation); and (Aim 3) Describe barriers and facilitators to implementation of alcohol-related interventions at each site to describe maintenance and inform widespread sustainable implementation.
San Diego, California and other locations
Amplification of Positivity for Alcohol Use Disorder Co-Occurring With Anxiety or Depression
Sorry, currently not accepting new patients, but might later
The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility of a protocol in which individuals with comorbid depression or anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorder will be randomized to complete Amplification of Positivity for Alcohol Use Disorder (AMP-A)- a psychological treatment focused on increasing positive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors- or a traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention. Assessed outcomes will include participant acceptability and completion rates, participant compliance with the intervention, positive and negative affect, substance use- and depression and anxiety-related symptom severity, and functional disability.
La Jolla, California and other locations
Effects of Cannabis/Alcohol on Driving Performance and Field Sobriety Tests
Sorry, not yet accepting patients
The overarching aim of this study is to examine the impact of acute cannabis and alcohol administration on driving performance, as well as identify methods for detecting driving under the influence of these substances. One-hundred twenty-five healthy volunteers will be randomized into one of 5 conditions; those who receive 1) low dose alcohol and placebo cannabis, 2) low dose alcohol and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 3) high dose alcohol and placebo cannabis, 4) placebo alcohol and THC, and 5) double placebo. Cannabis inhaled ad libitum and/or ingested alcohol will take place at the beginning of the day followed by the completion of driving simulations, components of the Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evaluations, and bodily fluid draws (e.g., blood, oral fluid/saliva, breath) over the subsequent 4 hours after ingestion. The purpose of this study is to determine (1) the impact of Δ9-THC on driving performance with and without concurrent alcohol ingestion (2) the duration of driving impairment in terms of hours from initial use, (3) the relationship between performance on the DRE measures and cannabis/alcohol ingestion, and 4) if saliva or expired air can serve as a useful adjunct to the field for blood sampling.
New Treatment for Alcohol and Nicotine Dependence
Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients
This research study aims to test whether topiramate (a drug that is being used for seizure) will help individuals who have problems with both alcohol and nicotine. The investigators believe that individuals taking topiramate will be more successful at abstaining from both alcohol and nicotine than individuals taking placebo.
La Jolla, California and other locations
Topiramate and Prolonged Exposure
Sorry, in progress, not accepting new patients
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently co-occur, and having both disorders is associated with greater psychological and functional impairment than having either disorder alone. The most effective PTSD treatment, prolonged exposure (PE) is sometimes less effective when individuals also have AUD. Anti-relapse medication appears promising to improve the effectiveness of PE to help individuals reduce alcohol use and PTSD symptoms and improve functioning. This study compares PE with and without topiramate, a medication shown to both reduce drinking and PTSD symptoms, with the hypothesis that combined PE and topiramate will be more effective than PE and placebo. The aim of this grant is to improve treatment outcomes for Veterans with AUD and PTSD.
San Diego, California
Our lead scientists for Alcohol Use research studies include Sonya B. Norman, PhD Thomas D. Marcotte, PhD Charles T Taylor, PhD Jessica A Bomyea, PhD Robert M Anthenelli, MD.
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