Geolocation Positional System (GPS) Experience

NCT05991713 | Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: 20150678R01MH133693
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 100
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to use smartphone technology to capture individual location emotional and cognitive data, to examine how real-world behaviors thoughts, emotions, and brain activity are related to one another.

Conditions

Emotions; Anhedonia; Depression

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in positive emotional response as measured by ecological momentary assessment

  Emotional response will be measured by computing a total mean score of "happy", "excited", "content", "attentive", "relaxed". The total mean score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater positive emotional response.

  Baseline, up to 6 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Change in negative emotional response as measured by ecological momentary assessment

  Baseline, up to 6 months

Study Arms (1)

Modifying Exploration

EXPERIMENTAL

Individuals will be asked on certain days to increase their levels of exploration, and some days be asked to decrease their levels of exploration. Participants will do this for up to six months.

Behavioral: Modifying Exploration

Interventions

Modifying Exploration BEHAVIORAL

Participants in this group will use a mobile phone sensor data application that uses an accelerometer, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) and/or GPS designed for smartphone devices. This technology allows the phones to capture information automatically and passively on the participant's activity. The application will be collecting participants' data 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Participants will be asked to make alterations to their exploration levels approximately 20 days of their participation in the study.

Modifying Exploration

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Must agree to give informed consent
• Must be willing to have an functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI) scan
• Must be able to receive and respond to daily text messages assessing current emotion
• Must be willing to download and run a GPS tracking application (FollowMee) onto their smartphone for a four-month period

You may not qualify if:

• history of head trauma, seizures, or neurological disorders
• severe/unstable medical conditions
• conditions that interfere with MRI
• pregnancy
• lifetime psychotic/bipolar disorder
• chronic/severe substance or alcohol abuse/dependence
• antipsychotic medication

Sponsors & Collaborators

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

Study Sites (1)

University of Miami

Coral Gables, Florida, 33146, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Anhedonia; Depression

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Aaron S Heller, PhD

  University of Miami

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Isabella C D'Ottone, BA

CONTACT

3052849555; icd30@miami.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 7, 2023
• First Posted: August 15, 2023
• Study Start: November 2, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2028
• Last Updated: May 5, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)