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Neural Mechanisms of Tactile Priming on Social Perceptions - Pilot Study

Sponsor
Charite University, Berlin, Germany (Other)
Overall Status
Completed
CT.gov ID
NCT02517060
Collaborator
Medical School Berlin (Other)
17
Enrollment
3
Locations
8
Duration (Months)
5.7
Patients Per Site
0.7
Patients Per Site Per Month

Study Details

Study Description

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.

Condition or Disease Intervention/Treatment Phase

    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 Design

    Study Type:
    Observational
    Actual Enrollment :
    17 participants
    Observational Model:
    Cohort
    Time Perspective:
    Prospective
    Official Title:
    Neural Mechanisms of Tactile Priming on Social Perceptions - Pilot Study
    Study Start Date :
    Aug 1, 2015
    Actual Primary Completion Date :
    Apr 1, 2016
    Actual Study Completion Date :
    Apr 1, 2016

    Arms and Interventions

    Arm Intervention/Treatment
    Healthy participants

    Male or female healthy participants

    Outcome Measures

    Primary Outcome Measures

    1. 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

    1. 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) .

    Eligibility Criteria

    Criteria

    Ages Eligible for Study:
    18 Years to 40 Years
    Sexes Eligible for Study:
    All
    Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
    Yes
    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

    Contacts and Locations

    Locations

    Site City State Country Postal Code
    1 Department of Psychiatry und Psychotherapy, CCM, Charité - University Medicine Berlin Berlin Germany 10117
    2 Medical School Berlin Berlin Germany 12247
    3 Department of Anesthesiology and Intensvie Care Medicine CVK/CCM, Charité - University Medicine Berlin Berlin Germany 13353

    Sponsors and Collaborators

    • Charite University, Berlin, Germany
    • Medical School Berlin

    Investigators

    • Study Director: Claudia Spies, MD, Prof., Charite University, Berlin, Germany

    Study Documents (Full-Text)

    None provided.

    More Information

    Publications

    None provided.
    Responsible Party:
    Claudia Spies, Head of Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine CVK/CCM, Charite University, Berlin, Germany
    ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
    NCT02517060
    Other Study ID Numbers:
    • SozPrime
    First Posted:
    Aug 6, 2015
    Last Update Posted:
    Aug 10, 2016
    Last Verified:
    Aug 1, 2016
    Keywords provided by Claudia Spies, Head of Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine CVK/CCM, Charite University, Berlin, Germany
    Social perceptions

    Study Results

    No Results Posted as of Aug 10, 2016