Medical Information Only. Always consult your healthcare provider before enrolling in any clinical trial.
Clinical Trial of Propranolol for Seasonal Affective Disorder
NCT00016666 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
The purpose of this study is to determine what dose of a new timed-release tablet of the drug propranolol will reduce secretion of the hormone melatonin in healthy volunteers. This study will also determine whether suppressing melatonin will improve depressive symptoms in people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD (sometimes referred to as winter depression) is a condition in which people experience depression as a result of seasonal variations in light. Human brains have a circadian pacemaker that regulates many body functions. As the seasons change and light duration varies, the circadian pacemaker regulates seasonal behavior by transmitting a signal of day length to the pineal gland, which secretes the hormone melatonin. Melatonin secretion increases in the winter as the duration of light decreases. Evidence suggests that the melatonin signal of seasonal change is present in people with SAD but not in healthy volunteers; thus there is a possibility that seasonal changes which influence the duration of melatonin secretion control the course of illness in individuals with SAD. This study will determine whether propranolol can shorten the duration of melatonin secretion and mimic the effect of summer days to improve symptoms of depression in people with SAD. Healthy volunteers will be admitted to the hospital for about 2 days. The volunteers will receive either propranolol or placebo (an inactive pill) before going to bed and upon awakening. Blood samples will be collected at various times throughout the study. Participants with SAD will be interviewed periodically on an outpatient basis to determine the onset of depression in the fall or winter. Two weeks after depressive symptoms arise, participants will begin treatment with either propranolol or placebo. At the beginning of the treatment, participants will be hospitalized for about 2 days and will have blood collected at various times. During the hospital stay, participants will continue treatment with
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- DRUG Propranolol
Study Locations (1)
Massachusetts
- Harvard University — Boston
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 70 participants |
| Start Date | 2001-05-21 |
| Est. Completion | 2007-01-19 |
| Phase | Phase 2 |
Interested in This Trial?
Always speak with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.
Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT00016666
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT00016666 describes a study currently listed as completed. It is categorized as Phase 2, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 70 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), which has 317 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 2 conditions, with Healthy appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 1 intervention — of which Propranolol is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT00016666 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Massachusetts. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT00016666 about?
NCT00016666 is a clinical study titled "Clinical Trial of Propranolol for Seasonal Affective Disorder". The purpose of this study is to determine what dose of a new timed-release tablet of the drug propranolol will reduce secretion of the hormone melatonin in healthy volunteers. This study will also determine whether suppressing melatonin will improve depressive symptoms in people with seasonal affect...
What is the current status of trial NCT00016666?
This trial is currently completed. It is a Phase 2 study. The enrollment target is 70 participants. The study started on 2001-05-21. Estimated completion is 2007-01-19.
What conditions does trial NCT00016666 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Healthy, Seasonal Affective Disorder. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT00016666?
The interventions under investigation include: Propranolol (DRUG). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT00016666?
This trial is sponsored by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), which has 317 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT00016666 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Massachusetts. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
Learn More About Clinical Trials
How Clinical Trials Work
Understand phases 1-4, trial design, randomization, and the informed consent process.
Patient Rights in Clinical Trials
Your rights as a participant: consent, withdrawal, privacy, and who to contact.
Finding the Right Clinical Trial
A practical guide to searching trials, understanding eligibility, and evaluating options.
All Guides
Browse our complete library of clinical trial educational resources.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.