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Tirzepatide s Dopaminergic Effects in Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD)
Tirzepatide s Dopaminergic Effects in Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD), a Phase 1b Study
Asset
Tirzepatide
Subcutaneous · GLP-1 / GIP dual
Listed sites
1
Recruiting sites
1
Enrollment
176
estimated
Study population
Alcohol / substance use, Healthy volunteers
Key I/E criterion
—
Primary endpoints
•Part 1•Part 2
Footprint
Where this trial recruits
Site locations as reported to ClinicalTrials.gov. Site count is not enrollment count; per-site enrollment is not available from source.
Identifiers
Registered as
Timeline
Milestones
Assets
Investigational agents
Study populations
Who this study enrolls
Eligibility
Who can enroll
Inclusion criteria
Healthy Volunteer Participants
To be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet the following criteria:
1. Enrollment in 14AA0181.
2. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study.
3. Male or female, ages 21-65 years old.
4. Ability to understand and willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
5. Have or had any prior experience with stimulant drugs including cocaine, methylphenidate, amphetamine or methamphetamine, or prescription stimulants (prescription or recreational use), whether or not they have had a past substance use disorder.
AUD Participants
To be eligible, individuals with AUD must meet the following criteria:
1. Enrollment in 14AA0181.
2. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study.
3. Male or female, ages 21-65 years old.
4. Ability to understand and willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
5. DSM 5 diagnosis of mild to moderate AUD.
6. Have or had any prior experience with stimulant drugs including cocaine, methylphenidate, amphetamine or methamphetamine, or prescription stimulants (prescription or recreational use), whether or not they have had a past substance use disorder.
7. Minimum 2-year history of heavy drinking (SAMSHA s criteria for heavy drinking: for men 5 or more drinks/day on at least 5 different days per month; and for women 4 or more
drinks/day on at least 5 different days per month.
8. Non treatment seeking AUD participants.
Exclusion criteria
All Participants (Healthy Volunteers and AUD)
1. Presence of ferromagnetic objects in the body that are contraindicated for MRI of the head, fear of enclosed spaces, or other standard contraindication to MRI
2. Cannot lie comfortably flat on his/her back for up to 2 hours in the PET/MRI scanner.
3. BMI <23 or >35 (but no more than 500 lbs). The PET/MRI scanner bed is tested to a weight limit of 500 lbs.
4. Have had previous radiation exposure (from X-rays, PET scans, or other exposure) that, with the exposure from this study, would exceed NIH annual research limits as determined by medical history and physical exam.
5. Pregnant or breast-feeding: Females of childbearing potential, or with tubal ligation, or are post-menopausal and are age 55 or less will undergo a urine pregnancy test and it must be negative to continue participation. Urine pregnancy tests will be repeated on subsequent days of study (i.e., within 24 hours before study procedures). Females must not be currently breastfeeding.
6. Women using oral contraceptives (Part 2 of study). Women of childbearing age who are taking oral contraceptives will be required to switch to a non-oral hormonal contraceptive method (ie implants, injections, or IUDs) or add a barrier method (condoms) for the duration of the study and for 4 weeks after the last dose of study drug after explaining to them that Tirzepatide could make contraceptive less effective. We will not provide nonoral contraceptive medications to participants.
7. Severe head trauma with loss of consciousness > 60 minutes
8. Current severe mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder).
9. Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) total score > 35 or suicidal thoughts item score > 3, indicating severe depression or moderate suicidality, respectively.
10. Thyroid cancer or family history of thyroid cancer or personal or family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type-2 (MEN-2).
11. History for cerebral aneurysm.
12. Past or present history of chest pain and trouble breathing with activity.
13. History of Heart Disease, Hypertension or Cardiovascular disorders.
14. History of seizures, anxiety, panic attacks, psychosis or glaucoma which are contraindicated with receiving methylphenidate.
15. History of gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, gastroparesis, diabetic retinopathy, acute kidney injury (AKI), as these are contraindicated for Tirzepatide.
16. History of allergic reaction to methylphenidate, Tirzepatide or allergic reactions to dyes or preservatives.
17. Major medical problems that can permanently impact brain function (e.g., seizures, psychosis, stroke, Alzheimer s disease, Parkinson s disease, traumatic brain injury with
loss of consciousness > 30 minutes, clinically significant arrhythmias except bradycardia, and HIV+).
18. Clinically significant laboratory findings that could impact brain function or study procedures (e.g., active infections, significant EKG results, hepatic or renal failure) will be
exclusionary.
19. Current DSM-5 diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder that required daily psychoactive medications (antidepressant, antipsychotics, stimulants, opioids, benzodiazepines or barbiturates) in the past two months and that could impact brain function at the time of the study as determined by history and clinical exam.
20. History of moderate or severe SUD (other than nicotine or alcohol for AUD participants).
21. Current severe depression or moderate/severe suicidal ideation.
22. Daily current use (past 2 months) of the following drugs/medications are exclusionary: stimulant or stimulant-like drugs or medications (cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamine, methylphenidate, modafinil); opioid drugs or medications; other GLP-1 or anti-diabetic drugs (e.g., insulin, sulfonylureas) medications, antianginal agents; antiarrhythmics; systemic corticosteroids; anticholinergics; anticoagulants; anticonvulsants; antidepressants with dopaminergic effects (bupropion, sertraline, and dopamine agonists like pramipexole and ropinirole); beta-blocker antihypertensives; antineoplastics; antipsychotics; anxiolytics (benzodiazepine or barbiturates); or lithium. Note that alcohol and cannabis use are not exclusionary but participants cannot be intoxicated on the day of study as evidence of alcohol in breathalyzer or cannabis in saliva. Caffeine and nicotine are permitted but participants will be asked to refrain from consuming caffeine or nicotine products (including cigarettes) two hours prior to the study. Antihistamines are also not exclusionary but should not be used on the day of study.
23. *Non-English speakers (must also be able to read and comprehend English
Note that subjects will not be excluded from enrollment onto this study if their urine test or breath alcohol level (BAL) is positive for alcohol/drugs on initial screening. The following guidelines will be followed for positive drug/alcohol screens on study procedure days involving imaging scans and neuropsychological testing for all participants:
Endpoints (4)
What's being measured
Protocol endpoints and posted registry outcome measures, grouped into outcome categories. Composite endpoints show their component event types. Standard codes (LOINC, SNOMED CT) are shown where available.
Coverage by outcome category
Other clinical outcomes
3 endpointsPart 2 (n=88, 44 healthy volunteers and 44 AUD) : Effects of Tirzepatide on striatal dopamine D1R and D2R availability; striatal DA increase; brain reactivity to MP and to food and alcohol cues in AUD and in healthy controls.
Time frame:We aim to have each subject complete study procedures within 90 days, but this could take longer. AUD participants will undergo a Follow Up phone call about 1 month after imaging scans are complete.
descriptive
Part 1: Subjective responses to MP
Time frame:We aim to have each subject (n=5) complete all study procedures within 60 days.
descriptive
Part 2: Examine Tirzepatide s effects on subjective effects to MP,sleep, alcohol craving (AUD only), alcohol withdrawal symptoms (AUD only), food craving, locomotor activity, mood and weight.
Time frame:We aim to have each subject complete study procedures within 90 days, but this could take longer. AUD participants will undergo a Follow Up phone call about 1 month after imaging scans are complete.
descriptive
Other (unclassified)
1 endpointPart 1 (n=5 healthy volunteers): We will assess the reproducibility of striatal dopamine (DA) measures in response to iv methylphenidate (MP) using PET/MR combined scanning and the bolus infusion protocol in healthy controls.
Time frame:We aim to have each subject (n=5) complete all study procedures within 60 days.
descriptive
Provenance
Sources
Trial facts come from public ClinicalTrials.gov records. Endpoint categories are Delfa's classification of those records, not a ClinicalTrials.gov field. All figures reflect the July 1, 2026 snapshot.