Influence of Stress on Encoding and Prediction

NCT05920161 | Completed Results

• 2 other identifiers: 20000308251R21MH128740-01A1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 106
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate the neural mechanisms by which acute stress influences statistical learning and episodic encoding.

Conditions

Stress; Learning, Spatial

Keywords

memory

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Changes in fMRI Signal

  fMRI signal during learning will be assessed using connectivity, multivariate, and univariate approaches over 1-2 hour long learning period. Correlation between change in CA1-EC background connectivity and pair familiarity. rho represents the true correlation within the entire population, with values ranging from -1 to +1; values closer to +1 indicate a strong positive linear relationship, closer to -1 a strong negative one, and closer to 0 indicate no linear relationship.

  1-2 hours

• Statistical Learning

  Online measures of statistical learning ( mean reaction time) based on item predictability during task for condition A, B or x.

  1-2 hours

• Retention of Statistical Learning

  Offline measure of statistical learning assessed through familiarity tests the next day (comparison of accurate recognition of previously-studied pairs to chance, 50%)

  1 hour

• Episodic Memory

  Memory for individual items will be assessed through performance on old/new recognition tests the next day, quantified as hit rates and A' (non-parametric normalized ratio of hits to false alarms). Data presented here is the proportion of studied items attributed to the correct condition (A, B or X) minus the proportion of nonstudied items incorrectly attributed to that same condition.

  1 hour

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Cortisol Reactivity

  1-2 hours

• Alpha-amylase Reactivity

  1-2 hours

Study Arms (2)

Acute Stress

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants complete the socially evaluated cold pressor test (SECPT), a validated laboratory-based stress induction procedure involving submerging an arm in an ice bath

Behavioral: Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test

No Stress

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants complete a matched condition with no stress-related exposure involving submerging an arm in warm water

Behavioral: Control

Interventions

Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test BEHAVIORAL

The SECPT is a brief validated laboratory-based stress induction containing both physical and social elements

Acute Stress

Control BEHAVIORAL

This is matched to the SECPT but with warm instead of cold water

No Stress

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 45 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• years old
• Fluent in English
• BMI 18-35

You may not qualify if:

• Meeting current DSM-V criteria for any substance use disorder (except caffeine)
• Having current significant medical conditions or psychiatric symptoms requiring medication
• Current use of medications/drugs that interfere with physiological stress responses
• Peri and post-menopausal women, pregnant or lactating women, and those with hysterectomies
• Metal in body (for MRI safety) history will be assessed for female participants.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Yale University: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Spatial Learning

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Spatial Behavior; Behavior

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Elizabeth Goldfarb, PhD
• Organization: Yale School of Medicine

elizabeth.goldfarb@yale.edu

203-737-6365

Study Officials

• Elizabeth V Goldfarb, PhD

  Yale University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: Yes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 15, 2023
• First Posted: June 27, 2023
• Study Start: March 2, 2023
• Primary Completion: October 4, 2024
• Study Completion: October 4, 2024
• Last Updated: October 15, 2025
• Results First Posted: October 15, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)