Dual Orexin Antagonism and Emotion and Affective Processing Study

In this study, the investigators will examine the effects of blocking the orexin system on human behaviour and brain function using daridorexant, a medication that inhibits orexin activity. Orexin is a brain chemical involved in regulating sleep, emotion, motivation, and stress responses, which are often disrupted in mental health disorders. Healthy volunteers will be randomly assigned to receive a single dose of daridorexant or placebo in a double-blind design. Participants will then complete behavioural and cognitive tasks assessing emotional processing, aversive learning, and executive function. The study aims to clarify the role of orexin in emotional and cognitive processes relevant to conditions such as depression and anxiety.

NCT Number	NCT07267559
Lead Sponsor	University of Oxford
Conditions	Learning, Cognitive Functioning, Emotional Processing
Enrollment	62 participants
Start Date	2025-10-01
Primary Completion	2026-09-01 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-10-01 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-03-19