Neural Mechanisms of Tactile Priming on Social Perceptions - Pilot Study

Completed

• Conditions: Healthy

• Registration Number: NCT02517060
• Lead Sponsor: Charite University, Berlin, Germany

Brief Summary

The investigators measure brain responses of healthy participants while they perform evaluation tasks inside the fMRI. For each task the participants were primed with tactile stimuli. Results should demonstrate engagement of sensorimotor brain regions after priming, hence confirming embodiment theories.

Detailed Description

Brain responses of healthy participants were recorded with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). While being scanned participants were asked to recommend punishments similar to judges or juries for perpetrators across different scenarios. In addition, participants were primed before reading the scenario by using different materials. Based on recent theories about "embodied cognition" and extralegal factors investigators hypothesize that those primes may influence the harshness of punishments recommended by the participants. If those processes engage sensorimotor cortices, the results would strongly support theories of embodied cognition.

The results would help the investigators to understand the neural correlates of priming processes. These unconscious complex processes of perception may be important for hospital patients. Thus, beneficial haptic experiences during the hospital stay may contribute to successful recovery.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2015-07-10
• Study Start: 2015-08
• Study First Submitted QC: 2015-08-04
• Study First Posted: 2015-08-06
• Primary Completion: 2016-04
• Study Completion: 2016-04
• Status Verified: 2016-08
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-08-09
• Last Update Posted: 2016-08-10

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 17

Inclusion Criteria

• male or female healthy participants
• age 18 - 40 years

Exclusion Criteria

• cardiac pacemaker
• metallic implants
• ferromagnetic parts in / at the body
• tatoos
• vessel surgery
• tinnitus
• epilepsia
• claustrophobia
• pregnancy

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Sensorimotor brain activation	The participantes will be followed up for the duration of fMRI-scan, an exspected average of 1 hour	The primary objective of this study is to examine neural correlates for embodied cognitions. We use an fMRI-approach to test if healthy participants are prone to non-conscious tactile priming effects during evaluation processes. Investigators measure the outcome by examining BOLD Response in the sensorimotor cortices (Maximum Peak in Primary somatosensory Cortex, SI). BOLD Responses will be analyzed using the Software SPM 8.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Systematic changes for evaluation processes	The participants will be followed up for the duration of fMRI-scan, an exspected average of 1 hour	1. We examine if tactile priming leads to systematic behavioral changes for evaluation processes. During the fMRI participants were asked to read scenarios and subsequently perform evaluation processes on a likert scale 0 to 5 (0 = mild punishment; 5 = hard punishment) .

Trial Locations

Locations (3)

Department of Anesthesiology and Intensvie Care Medicine CVK/CCM, Charité - University Medicine Berlin; 🇩🇪 Berlin, Germany

Medical School Berlin; 🇩🇪 Berlin, Germany

Department of Psychiatry und Psychotherapy, CCM, Charité - University Medicine Berlin; 🇩🇪 Berlin, Germany