Cortisol and memory in Alcoholics. Version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Glucocorticoid receptor antagonism and cognition in alcoholics
IRAS ID
4543
Contact name
Colin Drummond
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Kings College London (Institute of Psychiatry)
Eudract number
2009-015837-55
Research summary
Alcohol dependence is a chronic relapsing disease, that causes many other medical disorders and social problems. It is seen in approximately 4% of the UK adult population. Up to 90% of alcoholics who manage to stop drinking relapse within a year. 50-80% of alcoholics suffer from memory deficits and many have depression. The memory problems are very difficult to treat because underlying mechanisms are not understood. When a person stops drinking excessively, changes happen in the brain and these are thought to be responsible for the problems with memory and learning. Stress hormones, in particular cortisol, come from the adrenal glands and at high concentrations can cause brain damage and memory problems. High levels of these hormones are released during alcohol detoxification. Preclinical research has shown that a drug, mifepristone, which prevents the actions of cortisol at certain protein "receptor" sites, reduces memory problems caused by long term alcohol drinking. This drug also has antidepressant effects in other situations. Mifepristone therefore might be able to help alcoholics if given during the acute, initial, phase of alcohol withdrawal. This trial will measure the effects of mifepristone on cognitive ability and depressive symptoms in alcoholics who come into the Alcohol Treatment Units for detoxification. Positive results will suggest cortisol is involved in the memory deficits and/or the depressive symptoms and that this type of drug would be a valuable treatment in alcohol dependence.
REC name
London - Dulwich Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
10/H0808/7
Date of REC Opinion
9 Mar 2010
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion