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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Pharmaco-Neuroimaging Studies of Approach/Avoidance Behaviors and Post-Mortem Studies: Pharmacological Manipulation

Pharmaco-Neuroimaging Studies of Approach/Avoidance Behaviors and Post-Mortem Studies: Study 1.1. (Pharmacological Manipulation)

Pharmaco-Neuroimaging Studies of Approach/Avoidance Behaviors and Post-Mortem Studies: Pharmacological Manipulation (NCT05232032) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Depressive Disorder, Major and Anxiety Disorder, sponsored by Mclean Hospital. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

The study will investigate whether a nociceptin receptor antagonist will normalize neural and behavioral processes of approach/avoidance decision-making in unmedicated individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety disorders. More specifically, the study aims to investigate dysregulation within (1) corticostriatal-midbrain circuitry and (2) nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide and the nociceptin receptor (NOPR).

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Depressive Disorder, Major and continue monitoring side effects. Phase 2 enrolls larger groups (typically 100–300 patients) and produces the first real efficacy signal. A successful Phase 2 readout is what unlocks the much larger Phase 3 confirmatory trials needed for FDA approval.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

Target enrollment of 112 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Depressive Disorder, Major subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Inclusion criteria for MDD/anxiety disorder group: - DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for MDD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Phobia, Panic Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress (diagnosed using the SCID-5) - Written willing to sign a consent form - For MDD subjects, a baseline Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score \> 16 (17-item version) - Right-handed - Has a smartphone (iPhone or Android) (needed for Ecological Momentary Assessment) - Absence of any psychotropic medications for at least 2 weeks (6 weeks for fluoxetine, 6 months for neuroleptics, 2 weeks for benzodiazepines, 2 weeks for any other antidepressants) Inclusion criteria for healthy controls: - Absence of medical, neurological, and psychiatric illness (including alcohol and substance abuse), as assessed by subject history and a structured clinical interview (diagnosed using the SCID-5) - Written willing to sign a consent form - Right-handed - Absence of any medications for at least 3 weeks - Has a smartphone (iPhone or Android) (needed for Ecological Momentary Assessment) Exclusion criteria for all participants: - Subjects with suicidal ideation where outpatient treatment is determined unsafe by the study clinician - Pregnant women or women of childbearing potential who are not using a medically accepted means of contraception - Serious or unstable medical illness, including cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, respiratory, endocrine, neurologic or hematologic disease - History of seizure disorder - History or current diagnosis of any of the following DSM-IV psychiatric illnesses: organic mental disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, psychotic disorders not otherwise specified, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, patients with mood congruent or mood incongruent psychotic features, substance dependence, substance abuse within the last 12 months (with the exception of cocaine or stimulant abuse; which will lead to exclusion) ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion criteria for MDD/anxiety disorder group: * DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for MDD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Phobia, Panic Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress (diagnosed using the SCID-5) * Written informed consent * For MDD subjects, a baseline Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score \> 16 (17-item version) * Right-handed * Has a smartphone (iPhone or Android) (needed for Ecological Momentary Assessment) * Absence of any psychotropic medications for at least 2 weeks (6 weeks for fluoxetine, 6 months for neuroleptics, 2 weeks for benzodiazepines, 2 weeks for any other antidepressants) Inclusion criteria for healthy controls: * Absence of medical, neurological, and psychiatric illness (including alcohol and substance abuse), as assessed by subject history and a structured clinical interview (diagnosed using the SCID-5) * Written informed consent * Right-handed * Absence of any medications for at least 3 weeks * Has a smartphone (iPhone or Android) (needed for Ecological Momentary Assessment) Exclusion criteria for all participants: * Subjects with suicidal ideation where outpatient treatment is determined unsafe by the study clinician * Pregnant women or women of childbearing potential who are not using a medically accepted means of contraception * Serious or unstable medical illness, including cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, respiratory, endocrine, neurologic or hematologic disease * History of seizure disorder * History or current diagnosis of any of the following DSM-IV psychiatric illnesses: organic mental disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, psychotic disorders not otherwise specified, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, patients with mood congruent or mood incongruent psychotic features, substance dependence, substance abuse within the last 12 months (with the exception of cocaine or stimulant abuse; which will lead to exclusion) * History of cocaine or stimulant use (e.g., amphetamine, cocaine, methamphetamine) * History of use of dopaminergic drugs (including methylphenidate) * History or current diagnosis of dementia * Patients with mood congruent or mood incongruent psychotic features * Current use of other psychotropic drugs * Clinical or laboratory evidence of hypothyroidism * Patients with a lifetime history of electroconvulsive therapy * Failure to meet standard magnetic resonance imaging safety requirements * Abnormal ECG and lab results * History of seizure disorder or currently on anticonvulsants

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Nociceptin Receptor Antagonist

Participants in the experimental arms will receive 40 mg of the nociceptin receptor antagonist. Peak concentrations are achieved 2-4 hours post-administration.

DEVICE

Aversive stimuli

As part of the approach/avoidance task, electrotactile stimulation will be used. The aversive stimulus is delivered in the form of a mild half-second stimulation to the ankle, calibrated to a subjective threshold that is uncomfortable but not painful. This stimulation is delivered by Digitimer DS8R Constant Current Stimulator (Digitimer North America, LLC. Ft. Lauderdale, FL). Its previous model, DS71, has been safely implemented in studies within Massachusetts General Hospital (Milad et al., 2013).

Locations (1)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

Mclean Hospital
Belmont, Massachusetts, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT05232032), the sponsor (Mclean Hospital), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT05232032 clinical trial studying?

The study will investigate whether a nociceptin receptor antagonist will normalize neural and behavioral processes of approach/avoidance decision-making in unmedicated individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety disorders. More specifically, the study aims to investigate dysregulation within (1) corticostriatal-midbrain circuitry and (2) nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide and the nociceptin receptor (NOPR). The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT05232032?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT05232032?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT05232032. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT05232032. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.