Ritalin may help erase cocaine memories, early study suggests
NCT ID NCT05978167
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Sep 03, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether methylphenidate (Ritalin) can help weaken memories that link drug cues to cocaine use. Fifty-one adults with cocaine use disorder will receive either methylphenidate or a placebo before recalling drug-related memories, while brain activity and skin responses are measured. The goal is to see if this approach reduces cravings and the return of drug memories, potentially leading to better addiction therapies.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Methylphenidate
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new cue-exposure therapy that reduces cravings and relapse risk in cocaine addiction.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small study (51 people) testing a single dose. It may not translate into real-world treatment, and methylphenidate can raise heart rate and blood pressure.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Early phase 1
The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.
- Participants
-
20 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Jun 2023
- Expected to finish
-
Mar 2031
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
26 to 50 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion criteria: * Ability to understand and give informed consent * Males and females, 18-65 years of age * DSM-V diagnosis for CUD or otherwise problematic cocaine use as clinically determined Exclusion criteria: * DSM-5 diagnosis for schizophrenia or developmental disorder (e.g., autism) * Head trauma with loss of consciousness * History of neurological disease of central origin including seizures * Cardiovascular disease including high blood pressure and/or other medical conditions, including metabolic, endocrinological, oncological or autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases including Hepatitis B and C or HIV/AIDS * Metal implants or other MR contraindications
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, New York, 10029, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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