This is a double-blind, placebo-controlled study that will randomize 60 heavy at risk drinkers to 2 groups: targeted dose of targeted dose of 100 nM of ALLO (N=30) or placebo (N=30). Participants will receive a continuous infusion of ALLO (or placebo) for 175 min. Sixty min. after the start of the infusion, when ALLO levels are relatively stable, the stress induction paradigm will be introduced. Participants will be presented with a stress cue and a neutral cue in random order. Stress and neutral cues will consist of personalized 5 min. scripts created prior to testing. Measures of stress-induced craving and stress-induced anxiety will be presented before the cue (pre), immediately following the cue (post) and 10 min after (recovery).The study outcomes will include measures of stress-induced craving and stress-induced anxiety as well as measures of subjective mood effects, cognitive performance, and motor coordination.
The goal of this study is to determine whether intravenous infusion of allopregnanolone (ALLO) attenuates stress-induced craving and stress-induced anxiety in a clinical laboratory setting. The secondary objective of this project is to characterize the behavioral effects of ALLO in heavy drinkers.