Investigating the Effects of Social Stress on Brain Imaging
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Summary
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.
Description
Using a randomized, parallel-group study design, this scientific investigation will examine the effect that experiencing the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), the gold-standard for ethically inducing stress in a controlled laboratory setting, may have on neuroimaging measures of anxiety in healthy subjects. The study will enroll 50 healthy subjects who will be randomized to either experience the TSST or watch a nature film prior to undergoing task-based neuroimaging measures of emotional processing and self-referential processing using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This study w…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–55 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * 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. * Current medications are stable for past 30 days (no changes to dose or frequency). * Negative result on pregnancy test (if female). * Negative result on urine drug screening. * Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS \<30). Exclusion Criteria: * History of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, delusional disorders. * History of eating disorder within past 6 months. * History of a…
Interventions
- BehavioralTrier Social Stress Test (TSST)
Participants randomized to the TSST arm will experience the Trier Social Stress Test.
Location
- Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, Massachusetts