Propranolol for Misophonia Study

This study is looking at whether a single dose of 20 mg of propranolol can help reduce the strong emotional and physical reactions people with misophonia experience when exposed to certain sounds. Researchers will compare propranolol to a placebo (an inactive pill) to see if it temporarily lessens these symptoms. You might be able to join if you are between 18 and 65 years old, can travel to Littleton, CO, and have significant misophonia symptoms. The study will measure your heart rate and how you react to video clips to see if propranolol is effective. The goal is to understand if propranolol works and if it's safe for people with misophonia. This study plans to enroll 20 participants.

Study design: This is an interventional study, meaning participants will receive either propranolol or a placebo. It plans to enroll 20 participants.
What's involved: You would need to complete study visits in Littleton, CO. During these visits, your heart rate will be continuously monitored, and you will complete a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) after each video clip.
Compensation: Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up: Heart rate is continuously monitored during each video presentation, starting before the intervention and ending after. The Visual Analog Scale is taken immediately after each video clip intervention.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

Propranolol for Misophonia

Recruiting

EARLY_PHASE1Ages 18–65InterventionalTreatment

Bloom Mental Health, LLC

~20 participants

Updated 2025-12-09 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What's tested:propranololPlacebo

At a glance

Recruiting sites

1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now

RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open

What they're measuring

Heart Rate

Measured over Heart rate is continuously monitored via pulse oximetry during each video presentation. The continuous measurement will start at pre-intervention and end after the intervention.

+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Misophonia

Propanolol

Misophonia Treatment

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states

Colorado1

Who to contact

Bloom Mental Health Clinic

[email protected]

303-801-1776

Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

Add a private profile and we'll compare every criterion below against your situation — and tell you which ones are met, uncertain, or excluding.

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Age 18-65.

Able to complete study visit(s) in Littleton, CO.

Able to give informed consent.

Participant reports clinically significant misophonia symptoms, as determined by answers on the standardized "Misophonia Trigger Screening Questions for Participants" form (described separately in the protocol). Specifically, participants must demonstrate relevant misophonia trigger responses that meet pre-specified minimum severity criteria detailed on this form.

A-MISO-S rating scale severity criterion: Participants must score at least a moderate ("2") or higher on question 2 and question 3 of the Amsterdam Misophonia Scale (A-MISO-S) at screening, since this indicates clinically meaningful misophonia severity for study eligibility.

Able to communicate misophonic distress in writing and reasonably participate in our outpatient clinical setting, meaning able to tolerate being in this outpatient clinical setting, follow the clinic rules for all patients and guests, and respond in an understandable fashion to questions administered to them.

Must agree to follow study clinician advice and seek additional care outside of this clinic if advised (e.g., if advised to seek help from emergency services for a potentially serious adverse reaction).

English fluency

Exclusion

Current use of scheduled propranolol for any condition.

Any of the known contraindications for taking propranolol:

cardiogenic shock

sinus bradycardia (\<50 bpm)

greater than first degree heart block

BP below 90/60

asthma / bronchial asthma that requires treatment or medication, and/or has caused clinical concerns within the last 5 years

Other heart conditions that require ongoing medical treatment

Participants with any of the following relative contraindications for taking propranolol:

participants who have active anorexia, purging, or who are underweight (\<18.5 BMI)

Active drug or alcohol use within the last 48 hours prior to study participation, or active drug withdrawals

A history of untreated diabetes or other endocrine disorders that could be harmed by exposure to propranolol

history of cardiovascular disease or stroke, or symptomatic blood disorders such as anemia

history of any other severe physical or neurological conditions that may affect their ability to participate in the study

Participants with liver or kidney disease that would be affect or be affected by the study drug

Participants may, depending on the circumstances as decided by the study clinician, be excluded for any of the following conditions that may have adverse reactions to propranolol, including: Raynaud disease or other peripheral vascular disease, Pheochromocytoma, Psoriasis, Thyroid disease (untreated, and affected by propranolol), Unexplained dizziness, Oxygen level below 91%, Respirations below 12 or above 20

Participants taking any other medications that could interfere with the effects of propranolol, as determined by the study clinician (e.g. other beta blockers, alpha blockers,prazosin, clonidine, guanfacine, diuretics, calcium channel blockers, acute us of anti-anxiety medications; other medications that interfere with the adrenergic system; or medications that have a significant effect on propranolol's pharmacology that would normally affect dosing in clinical practice

Allergy or sensitivity to propranolol, placebo ingredients, and/or capsule ingredients.

Pregnant or nursing.

Any of the following in 30 days prior to enrollment: active psychosis, suicidal/ self-harming / homicidal thoughts, bipolar mania, panic attacks, traumatic dissociation, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) flashbacks, or psychiatric hospitalization.

Participant self-reports or clinical interview identifies any misophonia-triggered reactions within the past year that posed a significant risk to health or safety, including suicidal or homicidal ideation, or uncontrolled physical behaviors (e.g., self-injury, aggression toward others, throwing objects, screaming, or fleeing uncontrollably). This criterion is assessed via direct structured questioning during participant screening interviews and review of participant self-reports on standardized screening questionnaires.

Misophonia trigger symptoms are determined by a medical provider to be better explained by a condition other than Misophonia, such as hyperacusis or phonophobia.

Inability to hear routine sounds and communication (ie severe hearing impairment), only if it interferes with ability to hear the misophonia triggers on the video.

Participants who are triggered by the sound of water running or a car alarm (our control videos)

What this trial measures

Heart RateHeart rate is continuously monitored via pulse oximetry during each video presentation. The continuous measurement will start at pre-intervention and end after the intervention.
Heart rate was chosen as a primary biometric outcome because it reliably indicates sympathetic nervous system activation commonly observed in acute misophonia reactions. Given propranolol's established pharmacologic effect as a beta-blocker, the hypothesis is that propranolol will significantly blunt the heart rate increase typically elicited by misophonia triggers compared to placebo.
Visual Analog Scale (VAS)The scale will be taken immediately after each video clip intervention. It will measure the participant's reaction to each clip.
The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) assesses three core emotional domains (anger, anxiety, disgust) and multiple physical sensations frequently reported during acute misophonia episodes, such as feeling hot/sweaty, heart pounding, muscle tension, trembling/shaking, and shortness of breath. Each response is rated on a sliding scale accompanied by emojis or graphics that visually represent increasing intensity of the sensations or emotions. This format leverages established evidence from acute pain and emotional-response research, demonstrating that visual analogue scales effectively capture immediate subjective states. The VAS is based on a Likert scales ranging from 0-7, 0-5, and 0-8 in some questions. Higher scores indicates more distress and a worst outcome.

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