Neural Correlates of Stress Reduction

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Psychological Stress; Emotional Stress; Social Stress; Stress; Life Stress
• Interventions: Behavioral: Stress Reduction

• Registration Number: NCT01488422
• Lead Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital

Brief Summary

This study will identify neural mechanisms associated with changes in emotion regulation following participation in stress reduction programs.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2011-12
• Study First Submitted: 2011-12-05
• Study First Submitted QC: 2011-12-06
• Study First Posted: 2011-12-08
• Primary Completion: 2014-12
• Study Completion: 2014-12
• Status Verified: 2015-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-01-14
• Last Update Posted: 2015-01-15

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 140

Inclusion Criteria

• 18-50 years of age
• Right-handed
• Stressed

Exclusion Criteria

• Lifetime history of schizophrenia or psychosis
• Psychiatric illness
• History of seizure or significant head trauma
• Use of psychotropic medications
• Metallic implants or devices contraindicating magnetic resonance imaging
• Claustrophobia
• Pregnancy

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Group 1	Stress Reduction	Both groups will receive stress reduction materials. We expect both groups to achieve similar amounts of stress reduction, but to use different brain regions to do so.
Group 2	Stress Reduction	Both groups will receive stress reduction materials. We expect both groups to achieve similar amounts of stress reduction, but to use different brain regions to do so.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in gray matter structure	8 weeks	Study participants will undergo an MRI scan before and after attending an 8-week stress reduction program.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Emotion regulation	8-weeks	Study participants will do an emotion regulation task while they are in the MRI scanner. We will assess brain activity and skin conductance during the task. Changes in these measures will be assessed before and after enrollment in the stress reduction program

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Massachusetts General Hospital; 🇺🇸 Boston, Massachusetts, United States