Pilot Study: Effects of Nimodipine on Alcohol Drinking

Summary

This is an open label trial aiming to recruit 5 non-treatment seeking adults with Alcohol Use Disorder. All will participate in an alcohol drinking paradigm (ADP) lab session at the Hospital Research Unit (HRU) at Yale-New Haven Hospital (YNHH). Participants will stay overnight and receive nimodipine 90 mg/dose every six hours during an 18-hour period prior to the ADP to allow for the limited central nervous system bioavailability of this drug. Electroencephalogram (EEG) data will be collected before the first dose and after the last dose of nimodipine. Adverse events will be closely monitored during this period. During the ADP session participants will receive a priming dose of alcohol followed by a one-hour monitoring period. This will be followed by three one-hour self-administration periods; during each hour, participants will be able to choose between drinking up to four drinks or receive the monetary equivalents of these drinks (total of 12 drinks over three hours).

Timeline

Start

2026-09-01

Primary completion

2032-06-30

Completion

2032-06-30

Publications

• Background Krupitsky EM, Burakov AM, Romanova TN, Grinenko NI, Grinenko AY, Fletcher J, Petrakis IL, Krystal JH. Attenuation of ketamine effects by nimodipine pretreatment in recovering ethanol dependent men: psychopharmacologic implications of the interaction of NMDA and L-type calcium channel antagonists. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2001 Dec;25(6):936-47. doi: 10.1016/S0893-133X(01)00346-3.

Drugs

Indications