Topiramate on Gambling-Related Behaviours

• Status: Withdrawn
• Trial end date: 1969-12-31
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The quest for an effective medication therapy for problem gambling remains an important priority for the problem gambling treatment research field. While several medications have been evaluated in controlled clinical trials, no medication has been shown to unequivocally reduce gambling behaviour and, to date, no medication has been approved for treating this disorder. Recently, topiramate, indicated for the treatment of seizure disorders, has shown some promise as a medication therapy for problem gambling. In this project, the efficacy of topiramate will be evaluated in a placebo-controlled clinical trial, the first study to do so. The interaction of the effects of the medication and gambling sub-type will be examined to determine whether the efficacy of topiramate is correlated with the specific biopsychosocial history of the gambler.

• Phase: Phase 2
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Treatments: Topiramate

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• 19 - 65 years of age either gender

• plays electronic gaming machines (e.g. slot machine, video poker)

• meets DSM IV criteria for pathological gambling

Exclusion Criteria:

• females pregnant or breastfeeding at study entry

• females of childbearing age and physically able to conceive but not on oral contraceptives or patch, unwilling to take pregnancy self-test before each test session

• females taking oral contraceptives or patch but unwilling to use a barrier method of contraceptive during the course of the study

• occupation involving driving or operating heavy machinery

• BMI < 20

• hepatic dysfunction or hepatitis, as indicated by elevated INR, low serum albumin, or high bilirubin, or elevated AST, ALT, GGT (>1.5 times normal)

• clinical evidence of cirrhosis on examination

• renal insufficiency (creatinine >150)

• history of renal stones

• history of glaucoma

• current seizure disorder

• current use of digoxin

• current use of benzodiazepines

• alcohol consumption >14 drinks /week

• current use of anti-seizure medications (phenytoin, carbamazepine, valproic acid, primadone), antipsychotic medications (e.g., seroquel), carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (acetazolamide), metformin

• diagnosis of Axis I disorders, including psychoactive substances disorders (except nicotine)