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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT03206840

Neural Correlates of Self

Despite the increasing popularity of mindfulness meditation and hypnosis in healthcare and in the general community the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are unclear. The change in the relationship between the self and the conscious experience that they bring about may be crucial. This study aims to identify the neural correlates of self-consciousness in meta-awareness and absorption - using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) in healthy participants combined with detailed first-person experiential accounts and behavioural tasks. This study will provide important clues about the widely reported effects of mindfulness meditation and hypnosis and shed light on the neural correlates of the conscious experience of self.

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Key information

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers

Age range

18 year–70 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Hospices Civils de Lyon Hôpital le Vinatier/Inserm

Bron, 69500, France

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • aged 18-70
  • Body mass index between 18.5 and 30
  • Covered by health insurance
  • motivated to participate
  • signed informed consent
  • normal or corrected-to-normal eyesight
  • sufficient command of French to be able to follow the instructions

Exclusion criteria

  • history of neurological or psychiatric conditions
  • chronic pain or another medical condition altering pain perception
  • use of medication that affects the central nervous system
  • use of opioids or antidepressant medication
  • severe auditory loss
  • consumption of alcohol or intoxicants on the day of the experiments and the day preceding the experiments
  • pregnancy, breastfeeding or having given birth <6months ago
  • any contra-indication to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (metal implants or foreign bodies), agitation, claustrophobia

Treatment and study plan

"control", "meditation", "hypnosis".

Behavioral

three instructions will be given to each participant: "control", "meditation", "hypnosis". The order of "meditation" and "hypnosis" will be randomized amongst two groups to avoid order effects.

Primary outcomes

  1. Reaction time (minutes)

    Time frame: at day 1

    reaction times during behavioural tasks.

  2. Brain activation with IRM

    Time frame: At day 3

    Activation of different brain areas, as measured with functional Magnetic Resonance

Secondary outcomes

  1. personality trait with questionnaires

    Time frame: at day 2

    scores on different personality questionnaires

  2. Scores during behavioural tasks

    Time frame: at day 1

    scores on likert scale (1-5 and 1-9) about intensity of the stimui presented during the task

  3. Scores during behavioural tasks

    Time frame: at day 3

    scores on likert scale (1-5 and 1-9) about intensity of the stimui presented during the task

  4. salivary volume (millimeter)

    Time frame: at day 1

    salivary volume after behavioural tasks

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Hospices Civils de Lyon

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Neural Correlates of the " Self " in Altered States of Consciousness

Acronym: NeuCoSe

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2018
First posted
Jul 2, 2017
Registry last updated
Nov 21, 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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