NCT07750925Not yet recruiting
Examining Lithium's Mechanism in Bipolar Disorder
Investigating the Acute Effect of Lithium on Visual and Non-visual Responses to Light in Healthy Individuals
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 6 Aug 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
The primary objective of the current study is to examine the acute effect of lithium on the visual and non-visual responses to light in a sample of healthy participants. Our experiments will investigate the effects of lithium on light sensitivity at the level of the retina as well as central visual and non-visual pathways. Our primary hypothesis is that the administration of lithium to healthy volunteers will reduce the magnitude of a range of non-visual responses to light including melatonin suppression, alertness, performance, mood and electrophysiology in a manner that is dependent of the amount of lithium in the brain. To better understand the postulated effects of lithium on light sensitivity and to examine its relationship at the level of the retina, we will assess the visual and non-visual responses to light, as well as the distribution of lithium in the brain using a non-invasive imaging technique. In addition to that, we also aim to examine the impact of both lithium and light on a molecular level through whole blood transcriptome sequencing.
- Status (registry)
- Not yet recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 45 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 16 Jun 2026
- Start date
- 1 Aug 2026
- Primary completion date
- 30 Apr 2028
- Lead sponsor
- Northumbria University
- Diseases
- Bipolar disorder
- NCT number
- NCT07750925
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Planned participants: 45
- From 1 Aug 2026 to the primary completion date, 30 Apr 2028
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- Taking any long-term or regular medications other than oral contraceptives (e.g., antidepressants, diuretics (water-tablets), pain killers or anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen) or medications for high blood pressure).
- Regular or recent recreational drug use
- Known contraindication to magnetic resonance imaging such as pacemaker or metal implants, recent surgery, severe claustrophobia and/or recent head or neck tattoos.
- Planning to travel across time zones at any point in time during the conduct of the study or have travelled across time zones within 1 month prior to enrolment.
- Enrolment in any other interventional studies in the 1 month prior to the start of participation in this study
Other illness
- History of psychiatric or neurological disorders
- First-degree family history of psychosis or severe mood disorder
- Current, chronic infections or diseases.
- Life-threatening allergies, specifically a nut allergy.
- Known visual disorders e.g., colour blindness, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy.
- Known medical conditions that could affect the conduct of the study including
- sleep disorders
- cancer
- diabetes
- anaemia
- epilepsy
- psoriasis
- thyroid disorders
- kidney disease
- severe eczema
- anemia
- migraines
Other
- Current or past suicidal ideation or self-harm
- Have donated blood in the past 1 month
- Chronic alcohol addiction/misuse
- A current smoker (including use of cigarettes, vapes, and/or cigars).
- Currently work night shifts
- Been a shift worker in the past 3 months.
- Current enrolment in any other interventional studies
Who the study is looking for
- Aged between 18 and 40 years old
- Fluent in English (both spoken and written)
- Sleep duration between 6.5 and 9 hours daily
- Have a regular normal sleep schedule with bedtime (weekdays) between 21:30 and 01:00.
- BMI between 18 and 28kg/m2
- Currently enrolled and registered with a general practitioner
- Female participants only: should use effective contraception or refrain from engaging in sexual activity that could result in pregnancy during participation in the study.
Age in the registry: 18 years to 40 years · Sex: All · Accepts healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northumbria University Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Newcastle upon Tyne | United Kingdom | Unknown status |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.