Neural and Physiological Responses to Real-World Experiences

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Gene Expression

Treatments: Other: Writing about places, objects; Behavioral: Writing about people

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01723410

GGSC-GRAT

Details and patient eligibility

About

UCLA researchers looking for healthy individuals (aged 35-50) who have a home computer with internet access, are not pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or currently breastfeeding (if female), to participate in a study investigating whether real-world experiences alter the brain and body. This study takes place over an eight week period and involves providing the names of 8 close friends or family members, completing a neuroimaging session, providing blood and saliva (for genetic analysis), and a 6-week period in which participants login twice a week to complete online questionnaires. Compensation is up to $210 for those who complete all aspects of the study. Please email [e-mail] for more information.

Enrollment: 70 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 35 to 50 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy adults between the ages of 35-50

Exclusion criteria

Following a structured telephone interview, prospective participants with the following conditions will not be able to participate:

1. claustrophobia, left-handedness, or presence of metal in their body (for the neuroimaging procedures),
2. possible presence of a depressive disorder, which may interfere with the gratitude intervention (assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire; Spitzer et al., 1999),
3. regular use of medications that may impact inflammatory processes (anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, opioids),
4. current smokers or excessive caffeine users (> 600 mg/day) because of known effects on inflammation, and
5. pregnancy (which would affect oxytocin gene expression).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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70 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Writing condition

Experimental group

Description:

Subjects will be asked to write about other individuals in their lives.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Writing about people

Writing

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Subjects will be asked to write about places or objects in their lives.

Treatment:

Other: Writing about places, objects