Writing About Experiences and Health in Older Adults II

Phase 1

Recruiting

• Conditions: Social Psychology

• Registration Number: NCT05524597
• Lead Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles

Brief Summary

UCLA researchers looking for healthy older adults (aged 65+) to participate in a study investigating how writing about experiences can affect your brain and body.

Once a week for 6 weeks, participants will write about their experiences and fill out online questionnaires. Participants will also come to the UCLA campus to complete a neuroimaging session (fMRI), provide a blood spot sample, and fill out questionnaires 2 times: once prior to the 6-week writing period and once immediately after the 6-week writing period.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2022-08-24
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-08-29
• Study First Posted: 2022-09-01
• Study Start: 2023-03-13
• Status Verified: 2025-07
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-07-24
• Last Update Posted: 2025-07-29
• Primary Completion: 2026-03
• Study Completion: 2026-03-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 200

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy adults age 65 years and older

Exclusion Criteria

1. current smokers
2. active, uncontrolled medical disorders
3. chronic infection (e.g., Hepatitis C, HIV)
4. use of certain medications (steroid use, opioid use)
5. psychiatric disorders (e.g., current major depression, bipolar disorder)
6. body mass index (BMI) greater than 35
7. left-handed
8. claustrophobic
9. metal in body

Other exclusion criteria may apply.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex (dACC) Activity in response to stress	Baseline, 6 weeks	Parameter estimates from dACC region-of-interest
Change in Septal Area Activity in response to prosocial behavior	Baseline, 6 weeks	Parameter estimates from septal area region-of-interest
Change in Psychological Distress	Baseline, 6 weeks, 10 weeks	Composite measure of depression, anxiety, stress (Beck Depression Inventory, Spielberger Trait Anxiety, and Perceived Stress Scale)
Change in Social Support	Baseline, 6 weeks, 10 weeks	measure of perceived social support (Social Provisions Scale)
Change in Social Participation	Baseline, 6 weeks, 10 weeks	measure of participation in social activities (Lifestyle Activities Questionnaire)
Change in Anterior Insula Activity in response to stress	Baseline, 6 weeks	Parameter estimates from bilateral anterior insula region-of-interest
Change in Ventral Striatum Activity in response to prosocial behavior	Baseline, 6 weeks	Parameter estimates from bilateral ventral striatum region-of-interest
Change in Inflammatory Gene Expression	Baseline, 6 weeks, 10 weeks	changes in proinflammatory gene expression
Change in Amygdala Activity in response to threat	Baseline, 6 weeks	Parameter estimates from bilateral amygdala region-of-interest

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Memory	Baseline, 6 weeks, 10 weeks	changes in recall ability (Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test)
Change in Beliefs about Aging	Baseline, 6 weeks, 10 weeks	changes in cognitive, affective, and social beliefs about aging (Expectations Regarding Aging survey)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Center for Cognitive Neuroscience; 🇺🇸 Los Angeles, California, United States