Neuromodulation of Brain and Emotional Responses to Psychological Stress
Overview
- Phase
- N/A
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Sponsor
- University of Pittsburgh
- Enrollment
- 55
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex activation to stress
- Status
- Recruiting
- Last Updated
- 12 months ago
Overview
Brief Summary
Investigators are conducting this study to test if temporarily and non-invasively stimulating the brain will affect the emotional response to stress in healthy participants.
Participants will perform a series of tasks while completing an MRI scan. After this, participants will be randomized to undergo transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) at two visits, undergoing active stimulation at one visit and undergoing 'sham' stimulation at another visit. Immediately following both stimulation sessions, participants will repeat the tasks during MRI scanning.
Investigators
Thomas Kraynak
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Pittsburgh
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Age 30 to 50
- •English language proficiency (English as the primary language used in the home for the past 10 years)
- •Report that they will reside in the Pittsburgh area for at least 6 weeks, to maintain scheduling availability
Exclusion Criteria
- •Medication Use
- •The following medications can affect brain and cardiovascular measures being obtained in this study; thus, use of the following medications on one or more occasions in the past 14 days constitutes grounds for exclusion:
- •Antihypertensive or cardiac medications (diuretics, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitor/ARB, cardiac glycosides, central sympatholytic HTN drugs, anti-arrhythmic drugs, vasodilator drugs, other cardiac drugs)
- •Anticonvulsant medications
- •Anti-Parkinson medications
- •Protease inhibitors or other Anti-HIV medications
- •Medications for the treatment of mania, including antipsychotics
- •All other centrally active or psychotropic medications, excluding anxiolytic and antidepressant medications.
- •Chemotherapy
- •Immunosuppressants and related biological agents (Imuran, methotrexate, and cyclophosphamide)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex activation to stress
Time Frame: 30-60 mins post-stimulation
Blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal in a dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) region of interest mask extracted from the incongruent (stress) vs congruent (control) contrast.
Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex connectivity to stress
Time Frame: 30-60 mins post-stimulation
Generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) estimate reflecting stressor-evoked dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) functional connectivity to the anterior insula, amygdala, and periaqueductal gray.
Change in arousal during stress
Time Frame: 30-60 mins post-stimulation
Rating on a modified self-assessment manikin scale (SAM) measuring subjective ratings of arousal ("To what extent do you feel calm?" 1 - very calm, 9 - very aroused) following the psychological stressor task compared to a pre-stressor baseline.
Change in valence during stress
Time Frame: 30-60 mins post-stimulation
Rating on a modified self-assessment manikin scale (SAM) measuring subjective ratings of valence ("To what extent do you feel happy vs unhappy?" 1 - very unhappy, 9 - very unhappy) following the psychological stressor task compared to a pre-stressor baseline.
Change in perceived control during stress
Time Frame: 30-60 mins post-stimulation
Rating on a modified self-assessment manikin scale (SAM) measuring subjective ratings of perceived control ("To what extent do you feel in control?" 1 - very little control, 9 - very much control) following the psychological stressor task compared to a pre-stressor baseline.
Systolic blood pressure response to stress
Time Frame: 30-60 mins post-stimulation
The difference in systolic blood pressure (in mmHg) obtained during the psychological stress task compared to a resting pre-stressor period.
Heart rate response to stress
Time Frame: 30-60 mins post-stimulation
The difference in heart rate (in beats per minute) obtained during the psychological stress task compared to a resting pre-stressor period.
Secondary Outcomes
- Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) resting cerebral blood flow (rCBF)(30-60 mins post-stimulation)
- Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Expanded Form (PANAS-X)(30-60 mins post-stimulation)