Psychopharmacology and Emotion Research Laboratory (PERL)
We are based in the Department of Psychiatry in the University of Oxford at the Warneford Hospital. We are running a number of studies in healthy volunteers, people who are feeling low in mood or people who who have felt low in mood in the past.
We have a number of active research studies looking for volunteers. Our studies are all based at the Warneford Hospital (5 minutes from Brookes campus) or online, and all reimburse for time and travel.
All studies involve looking at the effects of medication on cognitive tasks investigating emotional processing, learning and cognition. We aim to improve our understanding of mental health conditions and mental health treatments.
For specific details and to enquire about volunteering, please follow the website links below or contact the research team via the study email address provided.
If you are interested in multiple studies, please note that you would not be able to take part in two studies simultaneously and would need to leave a gap between study participation (as discussed with the research team).
If you would like further information on any of the studies, in confidence and with no obligation to take part, please email us: perl@psych.ox.ac.uk
All studies involve looking at the effects of medication on cognitive tasks investigating emotional processing, learning and cognition. We aim to improve our understanding of mental health conditions and mental health treatments.
For specific details and to enquire about volunteering, please follow the website links below or contact the research team via the study email address provided.
If you are interested in multiple studies, please note that you would not be able to take part in two studies simultaneously and would need to leave a gap between study participation (as discussed with the research team).
If you would like further information on any of the studies, in confidence and with no obligation to take part, please email us: perl@psych.ox.ac.uk
CURRENT LOW MOOD/DEPRESSION STUDIES
RESTAND study - looking for volunteers who are experiencing persistent low mood and not taking antidepressants, to take part in a 7 day study investigating a new medication (a 5HT4 agonist) using MRI.
REC: 18/SC/0076
Website: www.restandstudy.co.uk
Email: restandstudy@psych.ox.ac.uk
RESTART study - looking for volunteers who are experiencing persistent low mood despite taking antidepressants, to take part in a 7 day study investigating a new medication (a 5HT4 agonist).
REC: 18/SC/0074
Website: www.restartstudy.co.uk
Email: restartstudy@psych.ox.ac.uk
CABIN study - looking for volunteers low in mood and activity who are not taking antidepressants, to take part in a 14-day study that involves a short course of citalopram and psychological training focused on activity planning and scheduling.
CUREC: R74013/RE001
Website & pre-screening: psychiatryoxford.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7VWhqKIMHXjdxKS. Email: cabinstudy@psych.ox.ac.uk
REC: 18/SC/0076
Website: www.restandstudy.co.uk
Email: restandstudy@psych.ox.ac.uk
RESTART study - looking for volunteers who are experiencing persistent low mood despite taking antidepressants, to take part in a 7 day study investigating a new medication (a 5HT4 agonist).
REC: 18/SC/0074
Website: www.restartstudy.co.uk
Email: restartstudy@psych.ox.ac.uk
CABIN study - looking for volunteers low in mood and activity who are not taking antidepressants, to take part in a 14-day study that involves a short course of citalopram and psychological training focused on activity planning and scheduling.
CUREC: R74013/RE001
Website & pre-screening: psychiatryoxford.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7VWhqKIMHXjdxKS. Email: cabinstudy@psych.ox.ac.uk
PAST LOW MOOD/DEPRESSION STUDIES
PROGRESS study – looking for volunteers who have had episodes of depression in the past but are not currently taking antidepressants, to take part in a 7 day study looking at the effect of a licensed drug, prucalopride.
CUREC: R77135/RE001
Email: progress_study@psych.ox.ac.uk
SYNERGY study - looking for volunteers who have had depression in the past but are now feeling better in mood and have not had any treatment in the past 6 weeks, but do still suffer from cognitive, concentration or memory issues. The 8–10-week study includes 7 in-person visits, involving two MRI scans and trialling a new drug therapy for 17 days.
REC: 20/SC/0439
Email: synergy@psych.ox.ac.u
CUREC: R77135/RE001
Email: progress_study@psych.ox.ac.uk
SYNERGY study - looking for volunteers who have had depression in the past but are now feeling better in mood and have not had any treatment in the past 6 weeks, but do still suffer from cognitive, concentration or memory issues. The 8–10-week study includes 7 in-person visits, involving two MRI scans and trialling a new drug therapy for 17 days.
REC: 20/SC/0439
Email: synergy@psych.ox.ac.u
LONELINESS STUDY-ONLINE ONLY
OxSTEP study - looking for healthy volunteers aged 21-65 years who have been experiencing feelings of loneliness to participate in an online study investigating a statin (a medication commonly used to reduce cholesterol) taken for 28 days, including salivary cortisol levels.
CUREC: R73946/RE001
Pre-screening questionnaire: psychiatryoxford.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_73rnxC3uI5wvIod
Website: oxstep.co.uk
Email: oxstep@psych.ox.ac.uk
CUREC: R73946/RE001
Pre-screening questionnaire: psychiatryoxford.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_73rnxC3uI5wvIod
Website: oxstep.co.uk
Email: oxstep@psych.ox.ac.uk
HEALTHY VOLUNTEER STUDIES
RELAKS study: looking for healthy volunteers with no history of psychiatric disorders, for study involving an intravenous ketamine or placebo infusion and 4 visits over 4-6 weeks period, including 7 Tesla MRI scan.
CUREC: R73654/RE001
Email: relaks@psych.ox.ac.uk
SARP trial: looking for healthy volunteers, taking no medication with no history of psychiatric illness, for one day of testing involving a single dose of the licensed medication buspirone.
CUREC: in progress
Email: sarptrial@psych.ox.ac.uk
FEN & Cognition study – looking for healthy volunteers aged 18-22 years, with no history of a psychological disorder, for a study investigating the effect of the drug fenfluramine.
CUREC: R69642/RE001
Website: psychiatryoxford.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eKv8gN2qypgTRLE
Email: fencognitionstudy@psych.ox.ac.uk
Losartan and emotional processing – looking for healthy volunteers to take part in a study investigating the effects of the medication losartan (1 online visit ~30-45min, 1 in-person visit ~4hrs).
Website: psychiatryoxford.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2tK5LDvF5UkjdHg
Email: lauren.morse@stx.ox.ac.uk
CUREC: R73654/RE001
Email: relaks@psych.ox.ac.uk
SARP trial: looking for healthy volunteers, taking no medication with no history of psychiatric illness, for one day of testing involving a single dose of the licensed medication buspirone.
CUREC: in progress
Email: sarptrial@psych.ox.ac.uk
FEN & Cognition study – looking for healthy volunteers aged 18-22 years, with no history of a psychological disorder, for a study investigating the effect of the drug fenfluramine.
CUREC: R69642/RE001
Website: psychiatryoxford.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eKv8gN2qypgTRLE
Email: fencognitionstudy@psych.ox.ac.uk
Losartan and emotional processing – looking for healthy volunteers to take part in a study investigating the effects of the medication losartan (1 online visit ~30-45min, 1 in-person visit ~4hrs).
Website: psychiatryoxford.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2tK5LDvF5UkjdHg
Email: lauren.morse@stx.ox.ac.uk
