GOAT (Glutamatergic OCD&ASD Treatments)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Glutamatergic Medication in the Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
IRAS ID
205780
Contact name
Declan Murphy
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Radboud University, Nijmegen Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour
Eudract number
2014-003080-38
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 31 days
Research summary
This is a clinical study, part of a larger EU project, that primarily aims to investigate the clinical effectiveness and to explore the tolerability and the safety of the glutamatergic compound memantine in paediatric patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study focuses on ‘compulsivity” - a core symptom of both OCD and ASD, that emerges in childhood and is defined as the repetitive, irresistible urge to perform a behaviour, the loss of voluntary control over this intense urge, the diminished ability to delay or inhibit thoughts or behaviours, and the tendency to perform repetitive acts in a habitual or stereotyped manner. There are currently no drugs that have been shown to effectively treat the core symptoms of ASD and the majority of patients with OCD have treatment-resistant symptoms. Agents targeting glutamate neurotransmission, such as memantine, represent promising candidates. Memantine is an NMDA antagonist and is clinically used as a ‘cognitive enhancer’ that has been regulatory-approved for the treatment of Alzheimer’s dementia in a number of countries. A number of studies have suggested clinical improvements with memantine in children with OCD or ASD. However, additional research examining the effectiveness and the tolerability/safety of memantine in placebo-controlled clinical trials is needed. Our study results will also provide clinically relevant solid information on potential new mechanisms of action, in addition to earlier explored medication in OCD and ASD, as amongst our secondary objectives are to explore by neuroimaging the effects of memantine at the level of the structure, function and biochemistry of the fronto-striatal circuits. Approximately 26 participants (13 in each condition), aged 6-17.9 years, will take part in this study in the UK, for up to 15 weeks.
REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/SC/0095
Date of REC Opinion
22 Jun 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion