Recruiting

Glutamate & GABA

Sponsor:

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Code:

NCT00109174

Conditions

Normal Physiology

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 65

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

3T and 7T device

Study Details

Brief summary:

This study will use magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure in the brain the transfer of \[13\]C as it is naturally metabolized from glucose to specific chemical transmitters. From this method, we can measure the rate of production of an important excitatory neurotransmitter (glutamate) as well as an inhibitory neurotransmitter (GABA).

Conditions

Normal Physiology

Study ID

NCT00109174

Start date

Sep 6, 2006

Status verified date

Jul 15, 2026

Completion date

Mar 11, 2030

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jan 11, 2030

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 65

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:
  • 18-65 years of age
  • Able to give written informed consent
  • Healthy based on medical history and physical exam
  • Enrolled in Protocol 01-M-0254 or Protocol 17-M-0181

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • Any current Axis 1 diagnosis
  • Clinically significant laboratory abnormalities
  • Positive HIV test
  • Metallic foreign bodies that would be affected by the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnet, or fear of enclosed spaces likely to make the subject unable to undergo an MRI scan.
  • History of neurological illness or injury with the potential to affect study data interpretation, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson s disease, seizure disorder or traumatic brain injury
  • Prescription psychotropic medication; drug free less than 8 weeks (anticholinergics, benzodiazepine, fluoxetine, antipsychotics, and anticonvulsants)
  • Serious medical illness as determined from H\&P or laboratory testing including Diabetes
  • Inability to lie flat on camera bed for about two and a half hours
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Current substance use disorder based on DSM-5
  • NIMH employees and staff and their immediate family members will be excluded from the study per NIMH policy.

Study Design

Enrollment

200 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

other: One arm

Subjects receive the same test

Interventions

3T and 7T device

3T and 7T device

Primary outcome measure

  • The primary outcome is the quality of the MR spectroscopy which includes spectrum signal-to-noise (SNR)\ ratio, spectral lineshape, linewidth, and resolution. [ Time Frame: prospective and ongoing ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Christopher S Johnson

(301) 402-6695johnsonchri@mail.nih.gov

Li An, Ph.D.

(301) 896-2882anl@mail.nih.gov

Locations

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

Recruiting

Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892

More Information

Sponsor

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Last update posted

Aug 28, 2026

Last verified

Jul 15, 2026

Keywords

  • Glutamate
  • Excitatory Amino Acid
  • Neurochemistry
  • Brain
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) on 2026-08-28.