Not yet recruitingPHASE4INTERVENTIONAL

Study of the Effects of Atomoxetine on Motivation

This study is investigating a medicine called atomoxetine to see how it affects motivation in people who experience apathy. Apathy means feeling very low on drive, energy, and having trouble starting or finishing tasks. It's common in many brain conditions and can make daily life harder. Atomoxetine works by increasing a natural brain chemical called noradrenaline, which is involved in how we feel motivated, learn from rewards, and make choices. While we know atomoxetine can influence these things, we don't fully understand its effects on apathy. This study will involve healthy volunteers with different levels of apathy taking atomoxetine and a dummy pill (placebo) to see if the medicine helps improve motivation, how they process rewards, make decisions, and generally get things done.

At a glance

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phase

PHASE4

Sponsor

University of Oxford

Enrolment target

Start

01 Aug 2026

Estimated completion

01 Oct 2027

Apathy

What is this study about?

Apathy is when you have very low motivation and struggle to get things done, even simple daily tasks. It's more than just feeling lazy; it's a real symptom that can affect people with various health conditions and make everyday life difficult. This can include finding it hard to feel excited about things, make decisions, or put in the effort to reach your goals. Understanding and treating apathy could make a big difference for many people.

This research study is looking at a medicine called atomoxetine, which is already used for other conditions. We want to find out if it can help improve motivation in people with apathy. Atomoxetine works by boosting a natural chemical in the brain called noradrenaline. This chemical plays a key role in how alert we feel, how much effort we put into tasks, and how we learn from rewards.

To do this, we're asking healthy volunteers who experience different levels of apathy to take part. We'll give them either atomoxetine or a dummy pill (placebo) and ask them to complete some computer tasks. These tasks are designed to measure different parts of motivation, like how they react to rewards, make decisions, and complete goals. By comparing the results, we hope to learn if atomoxetine can help improve these motivational processes.

Key takeaways

This study explores how atomoxetine affects motivation in people with apathy.
It aims to understand if boosting a brain chemical (noradrenaline) can improve drive and focus.
Participants will take atomoxetine and a dummy pill (placebo) on separate days.
Computer tasks will measure changes in motivation, decision-making, and learning.
The study involves healthy volunteers aged 18-45.
Your involvement could help advance understanding of apathy treatments.

Who may be eligible?

To join this study, you need to be a healthy adult between 18 and 45 years old. You should be in good physical health and able to understand and agree to take part. You also need to speak and understand English well enough to complete the tasks.

There are certain reasons why you might not be able to join. For example, if you have a serious mental health condition, a history of significant thoughts about harming yourself, or a diagnosis of ADHD. We also can't include people taking certain medications, especially those that affect the brain or heart, or if you have specific heart, lung, kidney, or liver conditions. Your blood pressure needs to be within a healthy range, and your weight should not be extremely low or high. We also check for any history of allergies to the study medicine or frequent rashes.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you between 18 and 45 years old?
Are you generally in good physical health?
Do you feel you have low motivation or struggle to get things done?
Do you have a clear medical history, without serious mental health conditions or certain heart/lung issues?
Are you not taking certain medications, especially for the heart or brain?
Is your blood pressure within a healthy range?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, you'll visit the study centre on two separate occasions. On one visit, you'll receive a single dose of atomoxetine (40 mg), and on the other, you'll receive a placebo (a dummy pill with no active medicine). You won't know which you're receiving each time, and neither will the study team until after the study is complete. During each visit, you'll complete a series of computer tasks designed to measure your motivation, decision-making, and how you learn. These tasks are validated, meaning they are well-tested ways to assess these functions. We will check your health at the start and monitor you throughout. Each visit will involve taking the pill, waiting for it to work, and then completing the computer tasks. The total duration of your involvement will be two separate study days.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study may not directly benefit you, but the information we gather could help us understand apathy better and potentially lead to new ways to help people in the future. As with any medication, atomoxetine can have side effects, and we will monitor you carefully. You might also experience mild discomfort from completing the computer tasks. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (1)

Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford
Verified postcode
Oxford, United Kingdom

Common questions

What is apathy?

Apathy is a feeling of low motivation, energy, and drive, making it hard to start or complete tasks and feel interested in things.

What is atomoxetine?

Atomoxetine is a medicine that helps increase a natural brain chemical called noradrenaline, which is involved in motivation and focus.

What is a placebo?

A placebo is a 'dummy' pill that looks like the real medicine but contains no active ingredients. It helps us see if the medicine really works.

Will I know if I'm taking the real medicine or the placebo?

No, this is a 'double-blind' study, meaning neither you nor the study team will know which pill you are taking until after the study is over.

What will I have to do in the study?

You will take either the study medicine or a placebo and then complete some computer tasks that measure different aspects of your motivation and thinking.

How to find out more

Marta M Radzikowska, MSc

marta.radzikowska@psych.ox.ac.uk +447933989912 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.