Effects of Acute Prucalopride Administration in Healthy Volunteers
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2017-08-08
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
This study will investigate whether administration of a single dose of the serotonin receptor
subtype 4 (5-HT4) partial agonist prucalopride has effects on emotional processing and
non-emotional cognition in healthy volunteers, compared to placebo administration. Using an
experimental medicine approach, the effects of prucalopride on cognitive biomarkers of
antidepressant action will be characterised. In a double-blind design, participants will be
randomised to receive a single dose of either prucalopride (1mg) or placebo. All participants
will come for a Screening Visit to ensure their suitability for the study. If they meet study
criteria, they will be invited to a Research Visit, where they will receive the study
medication and wait for two hours while the drug reaches peak levels. After two hours they
will be asked to complete a series of computer-based tasks measuring emotional, non-emotional
cognitive processing, and reward processing. The primary study hypothesis is that acute
prucalopride administration will have positive effects on processing facial expressions of
emotion. Secondary hypotheses are that acute prucalopride administration will affect other
measures of emotional processing, and non-emotional cognition.