Investigating the Effects of Social Stress on Brain Imaging
ConditionSocial Stress
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-55
SponsorMassachusetts Institute of Technology
About this trial
The purpose of this study is to examine whether experiencing a social stressor prior to the collection of neuroimaging measures is associated with differences in brain activation in healthy participants.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Ability and willingness to provide written informed consent.
Sufficiently fluent in English to participate in the trial.
Between 18-55 years of age (inclusive).
Right-hand dominant.
Disqualifiers
History of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, delusional disorders.
History of eating disorder within past 6 months.
History of any traumatic brain injury.
Currently diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Trier Social Stress Test (TSST)
BehavioralParticipants randomized to the TSST arm will experience the Trier Social Stress Test.
Treatment groups
50 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Film + TSSTExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Film Only (No-TSST)No intervention 0 interventions
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Differences in fMRI BOLD Response
Patterns of brain activation measured as blood-oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) signals will be assessed using 3.0 Tesla (3T) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Several exploratory imaging paradigms, including the emotional face-matching task (EFMT) and the self-referential comment task (SRCT), will be used to examine differences between participants who experience the TSST and those who do not.
Time frame
45 minutes after TSSTSecondary outcomes
1
Change in Acute Subjective Anxiety
Subjective anxiety will be assessed with a modified Visual Analog Mood Scale (VAMS) which utilizes a vertical 100 millimeter (mm) bipolar visual scale between two opposing moods consisting of the following word pairs: calm-excited, relaxed-tense, and tranquil-troubled. Total subjective anxiety for each timepoint will be the average distance from the top for the three-question battery. VAMS will be assessed 180 minutes before start of TSST, 15 minutes before start of TSST, 5 minutes before start of TSST during the Anticipation phase, after the Stress Procedures (+10 minutes after start of TSST), after 5 minutes in the Recovery Phase (+20 minutes after start of TSST), and 15 minutes after start of the Recovery Phase (+30 minutes after start of TSST).
Time frame
-180 minutes, -15 minutes, -5 minutes, +10 minutes, +20 minutes, +30 minutes2
Differences in Salivary Alpha Amylase
Physiological stress will be assessed indirectly with salivary alpha amylase (sAA) activity which is regulated by the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. Samples will be collected using the SalivaBio Oral Swab (SOS) from Salimetrics. Participants will place the SOS in their mouth for 1-2 minutes at each timepoint to collect saliva. sAA will be assessed 180 minutes before start of TSST, 15 minutes before start of TSST, 5 minutes before start of TSST during the anticipation phase, after the Stress Procedures (+10 minutes after start of TSST), after 5 minutes in the Recovery Phase (+20 minutes after start of TSST), and 15 minutes after start of the Recovery Phase (+30 minutes after start of TSST).
Time frame
-180 minutes, -15 minutes, -5 minutes, +10 minutes, +20 minutes, +30 minutesSponsors and contacts
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Lead sponsor
Massachusetts General Hospital
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov