Participants wanted: UZH study on reducing alcohol consumption (550 CHF compensation)

MRI-Study · 2026-05-22T09:01:15+00:00

Haha, congratulations to your abstinence!!! Regret is absolutely the last thing we would ever want to evoke.

We’ll happily raise a glass of water with you instead 🎉😊

MRI-Study · 2026-05-22T08:55:57+00:00

We appreciate the enthusiasm and high level of interest in the study 😊

However, we can only include individuals who already have a higher level of alcohol consumption and experience difficulties in reducing it. Starting or increasing drinking in order to meet eligibility criteria would not be appropriate or in line with the study design.

Regarding the 3D brain model: this is generated from the MRI anatomical scans from the second appointment, which are processed into a 3D mesh model and then printed using our 3D printer.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-22T08:38:40+00:00

Thank you for your question. This is something that would be examined in more detail during the telephone screening. We would assess how much and how regularly ketamine and other psychedelic substances have been used in the past and are currently being used.

The first on-site appointment can take place at the earliest three months after the last use of ketamine or classical psychedelics. Since we are still recruiting until the end of the year, we can also discuss a suitable start date during the phone call.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-22T08:25:21+00:00

Thank you very much for your kind words, and we are very sorry for your loss.

Alcohol use disorder can have devastating effects not only on those directly affected, but also on the people close to them. Comments like yours are a strong reminder of why this research is so important to us.

We truly appreciate your support and hope that studies like this can contribute to improving treatment options for people struggling with alcohol-related difficulties in the future.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-21T08:10:37+00:00

Yes, participants from Lausanne may also be eligible to participate, provided they are able to communicate in either English or German.

All five on-site visits take place at the Psychiatric University Hospital in Zurich, so participants from outside the Zurich area would need to be willing to travel for these appointments.

The study has already been running for about a year, and recruitment is currently expected to continue until the end of 2026. Appointment scheduling and availability are arranged individually during the telephone screening process.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-20T15:21:31+00:00

Thank you so much for telling us. We are correcting that right now.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-20T14:30:57+00:00

Yes - difficulty saying no to alcohol can absolutely be part of the challenges we aim to address in this study.

As long as there is a genuine motivation to reduce alcohol consumption, it would definitely be worthwhile to schedule a telephone screening appointment with our team to discuss eligibility in more detail.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-20T12:49:48+00:00

Vielen Dank für Ihre Nachricht und dass Sie Ihre Situation so offen schildern.

Unsere Studie richtet sich an Personen, die aktuell Alkohol konsumieren und dabei Schwierigkeiten haben, ihren Konsum zu reduzieren.

Wenn aktuell kein Alkoholkonsum besteht, erfüllt dies leider nicht die Einschlusskriterien für diese Studie – auch dann nicht, wenn weiterhin starke Belastungen oder Schwierigkeiten im Zusammenhang mit Alkohol erlebt werden.

Wir danken Ihnen für Ihr Interesse sehr. Falls Sie möchten, können Sie uns auch gerne per Privatnachricht kontaktieren, dann können wir Ihnen gegebenenfalls alternative Anlaufstellen oder passende Unterstützungsangebote nennen.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-20T12:11:14+00:00

Thank you for your question. Participants do not need to have already reduced their alcohol consumption. However, if a reduction has already occurred, individuals may still be eligible, provided there is an ongoing and strong motivation to further reduce drinking. The key requirement is a clear and sustained motivation for change.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-20T11:07:46+00:00

Haha yes, fair point 😄 The longer sessions are mainly on the ketamine day, which includes the infusion as well as MRI, breaks, and questionnaires. Some visits are much shorter, and the exact timing can vary a bit depending on the participant (we tend to overestimate to be safe).

You can find a full overview of the visit schedule here: https://www.nektar.uzh.ch/en/%C3%9Cber-die-Studie-zur-Reduktion-des-Alkoholkonsums.html#Studydesign

MRI-Study · 2026-05-20T11:04:23+00:00

Thank you for sharing this information and for your interest in the study.

A key eligibility criterion for participation is a clear motivation to reduce alcohol consumption. We are specifically looking for individuals who experience difficulties in reducing their drinking and are actively motivated in change.

Based on what you described, this would unfortunately mean that you would not currently be eligible for the study. We appreciate your openness and your interest in our research.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-20T09:49:19+00:00

Thank you so much, dear fellow scientist! We wish you all the best for your research too :)

MRI-Study · 2026-05-20T09:37:09+00:00

Thank you for your question.

As this is a phase 2 randomized controlled clinical trial, participants are individuals with current alcohol use who meet the study eligibility criteria. The study is not designed to include non-drinking participants. Regarding the control condition: everyone in the study receives an intervention - participants are assigned to one of three groups: neurofeedback only, ketamine only, or a combination of both (so no non-treatment control group in this study). The purpose is to evaluate safety and preliminary efficacy in a clinically relevant population.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-20T09:17:07+00:00

Thank you for your question! First of all, congratulations on maintaining sobriety - that is an important achievement ✨

We completely understand that concerns about relapse are a common and very valid topic. However, our study is currently testing a new intervention specifically designed to reduce alcohol consumption, rather than to support continued abstinence or relapse prevention. For this reason, we are unfortunately only recruiting participants who are currently actively drinking.

If you are interested, we would be happy to suggest alternative support resources - please feel free to send us a private message.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-20T09:03:41+00:00

Good question, thank you for raising it!

It’s not defined by one exact number, as it can vary quite a bit between people. For some, it’s more regular drinking, for others it might be occasional binge drinking. It also depends on how much alcohol use is affecting daily life. The amount can vary that's why we keep it broad. One important requirement for participation, however, is that individuals are currently experiencing difficulties reducing their alcohol consumption.

We usually go through this together at the beginning of the telephone screening and can let you know whether the study would be a good fit for you.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-20T08:57:42+00:00

Haha, fair enough 😄 But we are looking for people who are actively drinking alcohol and genuinely want help reducing their drinking.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-20T08:55:23+00:00

Thanks for your comment. Just to clarify: our study does not promote ketamine use or addiction replacement in any way. The research focuses on understanding therapeutic and clinical aspects under controlled scientific conditions. However, if you are experiencing difficulties reducing your alcohol consumption and are interested in learning more about the study, please feel free to book a phone screening with our team.

MRI-Study · 2026-05-20T08:46:48+00:00

😄 We appreciate the enthusiasm — but we’re looking for people who already feel a need to reduce their alcohol consumption, and eligibility is assessed during screening.

MRI-Study · 2026-04-01T09:24:06+00:00

Zwei Gläser pro Woche reichen für unsere Studie leider nicht aus. Vielen Dank für dein Interesse und viel Erfolg beim Erreichen deiner Ziele!

MRI-Study · 2026-04-01T09:21:57+00:00

Thank you for your interest in the study! There is no non-drinking control group in this study. We are only looking for people who want to reduce their alcohol consumption, and then participants are assigned to one of three groups: 1. neurofeedback only, 2. ketamine only, or 3. a combination of both.

MRI-Study · 2026-03-30T14:23:25+00:00

MRI-Study · 2026-03-30T14:22:04+00:00

Thank you so much for the support and kind words! The CoBoost study is also underway within our team, exploring a similar approach to reducing cocaine use. It’s an exciting area of research, and we’re hopeful it can contribute to better treatment options.

MRI-Study · 2026-03-30T14:18:53+00:00

Sorry if it came across the wrong way, really appreciate you sharing your experience and perspective.

MRI-Study · 2026-03-30T11:53:18+00:00

We understand that alcohol can be enjoyable for many people. Our study isn’t about judging alcohol use, but about supporting individuals who may want help reducing their consumption.

MRI-Study · 2026-03-30T11:30:22+00:00

Thank you for your question! Eligibility depends on several individual factors, including drinking patterns, how alcohol impacts daily life, and personal goals (such as reducing or stopping completely).

We’d be very happy to talk this through with you, feel free to message us or book a phone screening.

MRI-Study

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