Medical Information Only. Always consult your healthcare provider before enrolling in any clinical trial.
Nicotinic Receptor Genetic Variation and Alcohol Reward
NCT03294460 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
Background: People with the brain disease AUD (alcohol use disorder) have a serious problem with drinking. Researchers want to study how different people react to alcohol, and how genes affect this. They will focus on a nicotine receptor gene that may increase a person s AUD risk. Objectives: To see if people with variations of a nicotine receptor gene take alcohol differently and have different brain responses to alcohol cues. Eligibility: Healthy adults ages 21 - 60. This study includes smokers and non-smokers. Design: Participation will be based on evaluation under the NIAAA natural history protocol (14-AA-0181) or a screening visit under this protocol. Participants will have two 9-hour visits. They must have no alcohol or non-prescription drugs before all visits and no food or drink before the first visit. At every visit, participants will: * Get a light meal * Have breath and urine tests * Get taxi rides there and back At visits 1, participants will: * Have a thin plastic tube inserted in an arm and connected to a pump for alcohol infusion. * Have sensors on their chest to monitor heart rate. * Sit in a chair for 2.5 hours and get alcohol by pushing a button. Their breath alcohol level will be monitored. * Answer questions about mood and effects of alcohol * Give blood samples * Relax at the clinic while their breath alcohol level drops At visit 2, participants will: * Answer questions and do computer tests * Have an alcoholic drink and a snack * Have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. They will lie in a machine that takes pictures of the brain. They will do computer tasks. * Have another drink and snack * Relax until their alcohol level drops Participants will have a follow-up call after each visit.
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- DRUG Alcohol (Oral)
- DRUG Alcohol (IV)
- DRUG Alcohol (Ethanol)
Study Locations (1)
Maryland
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center — Bethesda
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 128 participants |
| Start Date | 2019-06-10 |
| Est. Completion | 2026-12-31 |
| Phase | Phase 1 |
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 NCT03294460
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT03294460 describes a study currently listed as recruiting. It is categorized as Phase 1, 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 128 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), which has 118 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 1 condition, with Alcohol Drinking appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 3 interventions — of which Alcohol (Oral) 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: NCT03294460 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Maryland. 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 NCT03294460 about?
NCT03294460 is a clinical study titled "Nicotinic Receptor Genetic Variation and Alcohol Reward". Background: People with the brain disease AUD (alcohol use disorder) have a serious problem with drinking. Researchers want to study how different people react to alcohol, and how genes affect this. They will focus on a nicotine receptor gene that may increase a person s AUD risk. Objectives: To ...
What is the current status of trial NCT03294460?
This trial is currently recruiting. It is a Phase 1 study. The enrollment target is 128 participants. The study started on 2019-06-10. Estimated completion is 2026-12-31.
What conditions does trial NCT03294460 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Alcohol Drinking. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT03294460?
The interventions under investigation include: Alcohol (Oral) (DRUG), Alcohol (IV) (DRUG), Alcohol (Ethanol) (DRUG). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT03294460?
This trial is sponsored by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), which has 118 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT03294460 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Maryland. 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.