Posted on June 19, 2018
This is a study by CAMH, the leading mental health research hospital in Canada. Learn more about what's involved in participating in a study at CAMH Research Connect.
Alcohol dependence is a serious public health issue. It has been estimated that alcohol use disorder costs Canada around $14.6 billion annually. In 2013, Statistics Canada reported that 18.9 per cent of Canadians aged 12 and over (5.5 million people) were classified as heavy drinkers. The treatment of alcohol use disorder has faced many challenges, especially the difficulty in reducing the amount of alcohol heavy users drink. In order to improve treatment options, we need a better understanding of how alcohol works in our brains.
Studies have shown that dopamine receptors are involved in the use of substances such as cocaine and methamphetamines. Our group is conducting research to investigate the involvement of a dopamine receptor in alcohol use disorder using brain imaging.
We are looking for otherwise healthy participants who are heavy drinkers and are at least 19 years old. We will use PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans to measure dopamine receptor levels.
The study includes at least 5 sessions, during which you will be asked to complete other assessments as well. The total time commitment is about 30 hours. The sessions consist of:
- A screening assessment (up to 5 hours)
- A PET session (approximately 5 hours)
- A self-administrating alcohol infusion session (few hours)
- A cue-reactivity session (approximately 1 hour)
- An MRI scan session (approximately 1 hour)
Abstinence session(s) may occur if needed (in a separate visit or on the same day as another visit).
You will be compensated for your time and inconvenience during participation in this study.
To learn more or ask about joining our study, contact us at:
General inquiries
416-535-8501 ext. 31586
Alcohol.Pet@camh.ca
Chidera Chukwueke
416-535-8501 ext. 36720
Chidera.Chukwueke@camh.ca
You can also find our study details in our CAMH study listing.
CAMH REB number: 052/2016