Acetaminophen (Tylenol) for Mood and Memory Changes Associated With Corticosteroid Therapy
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2008-10-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Studies in humans and animals support that stress and/or elevations in corticosteroids lead
to changes in hippocampal structure and functioning. This is important as patients with major
depression frequently have elevated cortisol, and millions of patients receive prescription
corticosteroids (e.g. prednisone). Both depression and corticosteroid therapy are associated
with memory impairment and hippocampal atrophy. Our research uses corticosteroid-treated
patients to explore interventions that might protect the brain from the effects of stress or
corticosteroids. We propose to give 30 corticosteroid-treated asthma patients acetaminophen
or placebo. Between group differences in mood, memory and other neurocognitive measures will
serve as outcome measures.
Phase:
Phase 4
Details
Lead Sponsor:
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Collaborator:
McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals, a Division of McNeil-PPC, Inc.