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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05920161

Influence of Stress on Encoding and Prediction

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

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Key information

Conditions

Stress Behavior Learning, Spatial Spatial Behavior Spatial Learning

Age range

18 year–45 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, United States

About this study

This study aims to assess the neural and behavioral mechanisms by which acute stress modulates episodic encoding (which involves the trisynaptic pathway: entorhinal cortex, dentate gyrus, cornu ammonis [CA] 3, and CA 1) and statistical learning (monosynaptic pathway: entorhinal cortex, CA1) in humans.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • 18-45 years old
  • Fluent in English
  • BMI 18-35

Exclusion criteria

  • 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.

Treatment and study plan

Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test

Behavioral

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

Control

Behavioral

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

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in fMRI Signal

    Time frame: 1-2 hours

    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.

  2. Statistical Learning

    Time frame: 1-2 hours

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

  3. Retention of Statistical Learning

    Time frame: 1 hour

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

  4. Episodic Memory

    Time frame: 1 hour

    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.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Cortisol Reactivity

    Time frame: 1-2 hours

    Change in salivary cortisol levels following the SECPT/control procedure

  2. Alpha-amylase Reactivity

    Time frame: 1-2 hours

    Change in salivary alpha-amylase levels following the SECPT/control procedure

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Yale University

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Registry information

Official study title

Neural Mechanisms of Stress Effects Across Hippocampal Encoding and Prediction

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Jun 27, 2023
Registry last updated
Oct 15, 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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