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Sensory and Physical Reactions to Beverage Cues

Sponsor: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center • ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT07788716

Registry updated: 2026-08-26

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Description

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate changes in craving and sensory responses to different beverage cues in adults (aged 21-70) with current mild or greater alcohol use disorder (AUD). The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does exposure to different beverage cues elicit distinct changes in subjective craving? * How do beverage liking, peak craving, and the return of craving to baseline compare across different test-beverage conditions? Researchers will compare Session A (Test Beverage Condition A) to Session B (Test Beverage Condition B) in a randomized crossover design to see if sensory and expectancy effects influence craving responses without consumption. Participants will: * Complete two separate 3-minute cue reactivity trials per session (a baseline water cue, followed by a test-beverage cue) while listening to guided audio instructions and holding/smelling the beverage without drinking it. * Rate their craving and beverage liking using visual analog scales (VAS) immediately after each trial. * Provide breathalyzer readings (BrAC), vital signs, and safety/medication checks at both study visits. * Complete diagnostic and drinking history assessments (such as the SCID-5, TLFB, and ACQ-SF-R).

Interventions

Alcohol Cue Reactivity Paradigm (Behavioral)
Standardized 3-minute visual, olfactory, and tactile exposure to beverage cues (water, and two similar appearing beverages) accompanied by guided audio instructions.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 21-70 years. * Current AUD (mild or greater severity on the SCID-5). * Regular drinkers (at least one drink in past week as identified in TLFB) able to identify a preferred alcoholic beverage (e.g., beer, wine, spirits, or mixed) for which a visually matched non-alcoholic alternative exists and can be sourced . * Willing to abstain from alcohol for ≥12 hours prior to each session and arrive with BrAC = 0.000% at visit 1 and ≤ 0.020% at visit 2. BrAC will be collected immediately after the participant signs the consent form at visit 1. Exclusion Criteria: * CIWA-Ar ≥10 which suggests clinically meaningful withdrawal. * Pregnancy, nursing, or planning pregnancy. * Medical contraindications to any alcohol exposure (e.g., liver disease, unstable cardiovascular condition). * Current use of medications that strongly affect craving or alcohol consumption (e.g., naltrexone, acamprosate, disulfiram). * Severe psychiatric illness or symptoms (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, active suicidal ideation) that would interfere with procedures.

Conditions

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

Locations

Univeristy of Texas Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, Texas, United States

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Official Source

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

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