Characterization of Phenotypic and Genotypic Regressors for Imaging

Description

The influence of genes on addictive and neuropsychiatric disorders is complex, especially given that multiple genes likely influence certain behaviors that are correlated with addiction. Researchers are interested in looking at the genetic information of individuals who are enrolled on National Institute for Drug Abuse studies to investigate specific genetic variants that may be related to substance abuse. Researchers will study the effects of genes on several aspects of thinking such as attention, memory, decision making, problem solving, learning, and emotional feelings, and investigate the ways in which genetic information affects addictive behaviors and substance abuse. In addition, researchers will study how genes may explain differences in imaging data in substance users. Objectives: - To collect genetic information for research on genetic aspects of addiction and substance abuse. Eligibility: * Adults age 18 or older * (1) healthy, non-drug-using nonsmokers, * (2) healthy smokers, * (3) healthy individuals dependent on other commonly abused drugs, and * (4) individuals with other psychiatric disorders. * Participants must be enrolled in another National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program imaging protocol. Design: * This study involves one to two visits to National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program that may be separate from the participant's current research protocol study visits or on the same day as those visits. * Participants will provide a blood sample and complete questionnaires about mood, memory, and learning. * Participants may also be asked to do a few tasks, such as playing computer games involving coin tosses and money management, or responding to questions on a computer screen.

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers, Substance Use Disorders

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

The influence of genes on addictive and neuropsychiatric disorders is complex, especially given that multiple genes likely influence certain behaviors that are correlated with addiction. Researchers are interested in looking at the genetic information of individuals who are enrolled on National Institute for Drug Abuse studies to investigate specific genetic variants that may be related to substance abuse. Researchers will study the effects of genes on several aspects of thinking such as attention, memory, decision making, problem solving, learning, and emotional feelings, and investigate the ways in which genetic information affects addictive behaviors and substance abuse. In addition, researchers will study how genes may explain differences in imaging data in substance users. Objectives: - To collect genetic information for research on genetic aspects of addiction and substance abuse. Eligibility: * Adults age 18 or older * (1) healthy, non-drug-using nonsmokers, * (2) healthy smokers, * (3) healthy individuals dependent on other commonly abused drugs, and * (4) individuals with other psychiatric disorders. * Participants must be enrolled in another National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program imaging protocol. Design: * This study involves one to two visits to National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program that may be separate from the participant's current research protocol study visits or on the same day as those visits. * Participants will provide a blood sample and complete questionnaires about mood, memory, and learning. * Participants may also be asked to do a few tasks, such as playing computer games involving coin tosses and money management, or responding to questions on a computer screen.

Characterization of Phenotypic and Genotypic Regressors

Characterization of Phenotypic and Genotypic Regressors for Imaging

Condition
Healthy Volunteers
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Baltimore

National Institute on Drug Abuse, Biomedical Research Center (BRC), Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21224

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * History of neurological illnesses that per the study clinicians would be significant enough to impair ability to tolerate the procedure or alter neuronal activity, including but not limited to CVA, CNS tumor, head trauma with significant sequelae, Multiple Sclerosis or other demyelinating diseases, epilepsy, movement disorders, or migraine in treatment. Participants may also be asked about any lingering neurological and psychiatric symptoms that may be a result of COVID-19 infection. The Medical Advisory Investigator (MAI) will assess the severity in relation to the potential impact on data. Assessment tool: History and physical (H\&P). Rationale: Neurological illnesses may impair ability to tolerate the procedures and alter neuronal activity, adding noise to the data.
  • * Cognitive impairment (unless this population of subjects is included in another IRP protocol for which the subject is also under consideration). Assessment tool: self-report during H\&P of special education classes, history of specific learning disability or mental retardation. A validated IQ test such as the Shipley-2 may also be administered. Rationale: Cognitive impairment may impair ability to tolerate the procedures and alter neuronal activity, adding noise to the data.
  • * Current major mood, anxiety or psychotic disorder (unless this population of subjects is included in another IRP protocol for which the subject is also under consideration). Assessment tool: self-report, H\&P, a structured or semi-structured psychiatric interview such as the computerized SCID with follow up clinical interview (or full interviewer-administered). Rationale: Current major mood or psychotic disorders may impair ability to tolerate the procedures and alter neuronal activity, adding noise to the data.
  • * Pregnancy. Assessment tool: Urine pregnancy test. Rationale: fMRI is not accepted as a safe procedure purely for research purposes during pregnancy.
  • * HIV -positive individuals. Assessment tool: oral HIV test with serum confirmation of positive results. Rationale: potential liver/metabolic/vascular disease can interfere with the physiological transduction mechanisms for fMRI (i.e. making the measurement unreliable).
  • * Unable to undergo MRI scanning due to possible pregnancy, metallic devices in the body, claustrophobia or body morphometry.
  • * Currently using respiratory, cardiovascular or anticonvulsant medications that may interfere with the BOLD MRI signal.
  • * Non-English speaking. Assessment tool(s): self-report. Rationale: To include non-English speakers, we would have to translate the consent and other study documents and hire and train bilingual staff, which would require resources that we do not have and could not justify given the small sample size for each experiment. Additionally, the data integrity of some of the cognitive tasks and standardized questionnaires used in this study would be compromised as they have only been validated in English. Most importantly, ongoing communication regarding safety procedures is necessary when participants are undergoing study procedures. The inability to effectively communicate safety procedures in a language other than English could compromise the safety of non-English speaking participants.
  • * Other health conditions that would impact safety of participation or scientific integrity of data collection.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Collaborators and Investigators

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA),

Betty Jo Salmeron, M.D., PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Study Record Dates

N/A