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Enrolling by Invitation

NCT Number: NCT06778356

Effect of Environment on the Central and Peripheral Nervous System

The main goal of this study is to understand how different environments influence both mental responses, like overthinking (rumination), and physical reactions, such as heart rate and blood pressure, after a challenging task.

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Key information

Conditions

Rumination Arrhythmia, Sinus Arrhythmias, Cardiac Cardiovascular Diseases Digestive System Diseases Feeding and Eating Disorders Gastrointestinal Diseases Heart Diseases Mental Disorders Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Rumination Syndrome

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of South Florida

Tampa, Florida, 33620, United States

About this study

This study aims to explore the restorative effects of nature exposure on rumination- a mental process that affects attention-and cardiovascular responses to a challenging task. A total of 95 participants will be randomly assigned to either a built or natural environment. Each participant will take part in a 2.5-hour session. Initially, an electrocardiogram (ECG) will be attached to measure heart activity. Participants will then engage in a 30-minute task designed to immerse them in their assigned environment (the ABC engagement task). Following this, they will have a 10-minute period of quiet relaxation to establish baseline cardiovascular measures. After baseline, participants will complete a challenging task (the Remote Associates Test (RAT)), which is designed to induce sympathetic arousal. Afterward, they will rest quietly for another 10 minutes to monitor cardiovascular recovery. Finally, participants will complete post-task surveys through Qualtrics, assessing their state of rumination, perceived difficulty of the task, effort levels, and expectations of success.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Individuals 18 years of age or older.

Exclusion criteria

  • Individuals with a history of cardiovascular disease or disorders, those who are pregnant, or are taking medications which may alter/affect cardiovascular function.

Treatment and study plan

Built environment

Other

Participants will complete the study session at a University student center.

Natural environment

Other

Participants will complete the study session in a nature trail.

Primary outcomes

  1. Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA)

    Time frame: Respiratory sinus arrhythmia will be measured during a baseline (20 minutes), challenging task (19 minutes) and the recovery period (10 minutes).

  2. Blood pressure

    Time frame: Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) will be measured during a baseline (20 minutes), challenging task (19 minutes), and recovery period (10 minutes).

  3. Remote Associates Test (RAT)

    Time frame: Participants will complete the RAT task for 19 minutes (44 trials).

    In this study, the remote associates test (RAT) will be used as a challenging task to induce sympathetic arousal. Each RAT item consists of three words, participants will be asked to generate a fourth word/solution associated with the words presented by means of a compound word, synonymy, or semantic association. The participant has provided a fourth/solution word or the 30 second time limit. The task will consist of a total of 39 trials, including 5 practice trials.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of South Florida

Other

Registry information

Acronym: RUMI

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jan 16, 2025
Registry last updated
Mar 25, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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