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Psychological Stress Impact on Navigation in Aging

N/A

Recruiting

Led By Thackery I Brown, Ph.D.

Research Sponsored by Georgia Institute of Technology

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

Be older than 65 years old

Must not have

The purpose of this study is to investigate mechanisms of normally functioning memory, and memory-related changes in healthy aging. Thus, any confounding factors that may influence cognition, other than age, will be exclusionary. Potential participants that endorse any of the following conditions will be excluded from the study: Epilepsy, Dementia, Parkinson's disease, history of stroke or seizure, psychiatric disorders, untreated depression or emotional conditions, Attention Deficit Disorder, Multiple Sclerosis, uncontrolled hyper- or hypo-tension, untreated Diabetes, Sickle Cell Anemia, regularly use illegal or psychoactive drugs (e.g., cocaine, alcohol abuse, etc). Additionally, individuals scoring < 3 on WAIS-R forward span, < 2 on WAIS-R backward span, and failing to name more than 2 vegetable names will be excluded from the study. These exclusions will insure that persons with mild cognitive impairment or typical indications of clinical dementia will be not participate in the research.

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up approximately 1.5 years

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial will study how stress affects aging adults' ability to navigate and remember locations, and whether this affects their ability to plan efficient routes.

Who is the study for?

This trial is for U.S. citizens or permanent residents aged 65-80 who speak fluent English and can visit Georgia Tech for group sessions. It's not for those with metal/electrical implants, heart issues, certain medications like beta-blockers, epilepsy, dementia, Parkinson's disease, history of stroke/seizure, psychiatric disorders including untreated depression or emotional conditions, ADD/ADHD, MS, uncontrolled blood pressure issues, untreated diabetes or sickle cell anemia.

What is being tested?

The study examines how stress affects memory and navigation in aging adults by assigning them to a stressed group or control group during a novel navigation task. Using neuroimaging and behavioral measures under stress-induced conditions versus normal circumstances will reveal the impact on spatial memory and route planning abilities.

What are the potential side effects?

Since this trial involves psychological stress manipulation rather than medication or invasive procedures; side effects may include temporary increased anxiety or stress levels during tasks but no physical side effects are expected from the interventions themselves.

Eligibility Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:

Select...

I do not have any conditions like epilepsy, dementia, or untreated depression that could affect my thinking.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ approximately 1.5 years

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~approximately 1.5 years

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and approximately 1.5 years for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

Behavioral probability of taking a shortcut between control and treatment groups

Neural memory representation reactivation between control and treatment groups

fMRI activation level between control and treatment groups

Secondary study objectives

2. Salivary cortisol (stress hormone) response difference between stress and control participant groups.

Relationship between fMRI activity level and behavioral probability of taking a shortcut.

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Stress groupExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants in this group will perform the psychology tasks (virtual navigation) under manipulated psychological stress (anticipatory threat of shock)

Group II: No-stress control groupActive Control1 Intervention

Participants in this group will perform the psychology tasks (virtual navigation) without any manipulation of psychological stress

0 / 1Eligibility criteria met