Neural Mechanisms of Tactile Priming on Social Perceptions - Pilot Study

The investigators measure brain responses of healthy participants while they perform evaluation tasks inside the fMRI. For each task the participants were primed with tactile stimuli. Results should demonstrate engagement of sensorimotor brain regions after priming, hence confirming embodiment theories.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Healthy

Age range

18 year–40 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Department of Anesthesiology and Intensvie Care Medicine CVK/CCM, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, State of Berlin, Germany

About this study

Brain responses of healthy participants were recorded with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). While being scanned participants were asked to recommend punishments similar to judges or juries for perpetrators across different scenarios. In addition, participants were primed before reading the scenario by using different materials. Based on recent theories about "embodied cognition" and extralegal factors investigators hypothesize that those primes may influence the harshness of punishments recommended by the participants. If those processes engage sensorimotor cortices, the results would strongly support theories of embodied cognition.

The results would help the investigators to understand the neural correlates of priming processes. These unconscious complex processes of perception may be important for hospital patients. Thus, beneficial haptic experiences during the hospital stay may contribute to successful recovery.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

male or female healthy participants
age 18 - 40 years

Exclusion criteria

cardiac pacemaker
metallic implants
ferromagnetic parts in / at the body
tatoos
vessel surgery
tinnitus
epilepsia
claustrophobia
pregnancy

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Sensorimotor brain activation

Time frame: The participantes will be followed up for the duration of fMRI-scan, an exspected average of 1 hour

The primary objective of this study is to examine neural correlates for embodied cognitions. We use an fMRI-approach to test if healthy participants are prone to non-conscious tactile priming effects during evaluation processes. Investigators measure the outcome by examining BOLD Response in the sensorimotor cortices (Maximum Peak in Primary somatosensory Cortex, SI). BOLD Responses will be analyzed using the Software SPM 8.

Secondary outcomes

Systematic changes for evaluation processes

Time frame: The participants will be followed up for the duration of fMRI-scan, an exspected average of 1 hour
- We examine if tactile priming leads to systematic behavioral changes for evaluation processes. During the fMRI participants were asked to read scenarios and subsequently perform evaluation processes on a likert scale 0 to 5 (0 = mild punishment; 5 = hard punishment) .

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Charite University, Berlin, Germany

Other

Collaborators

Medical School Berlin

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2015
Primary completion: 2016
Study completion: 2016
First posted: Aug 6, 2015
Registry last updated: Aug 10, 2016

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.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed