Sensory and Physical Reactions to Beverage Cues
Eligible age
21–70 yrs
Accepts
All genders
Locations
1 state
Healthy volunteers
No
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About this study
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).
Sponsor: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
You may qualify if…
- ✓ 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.
You may not qualify if…
- ✕ 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.
Where it's recruiting
Dallas
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · NCT07788716 · last updated 2026-08-26