Virtual Contexts for Affective Modulation

Launched by TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE · May 15, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, called "Virtual Contexts for Affective Modulation," is exploring how different environments and a person's sense of control can affect their experience of pain, anxiety, and memory. Researchers want to understand if having control over pain makes people feel less pain, even if the pain is the same intensity. They will also look at how various settings—like safe or threatening environments—impact feelings of anxiety and how well people can focus on tasks or remember things when they feel threatened versus when they feel in control. By studying these factors, the trial aims to uncover new insights into how our surroundings and mindset can influence pain and anxiety.

To participate in this study, individuals aged 65 to 88 who have no current or past history of depression, major neurological disorders, chronic pain, or certain other medical conditions may be eligible. Participants must also be comfortable undergoing MRI scans and be able to handle a specific level of pain during the experiment. Those who qualify will take part in tasks while their brain activity and responses are monitored, helping researchers learn how context and perceived control can change pain perception and emotional states.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• • No self-reported current or history of depression, bipolar disorder, or other psychiatric diagnosis
• • No self-reported current seizure disorder (i.e., seizure within past 10 years), or history of stroke or other major neurological diagnosis
• • No self-reported current chronic pain, or acute pain within three months of the study period
• • No current migraine disorder (i.e., 15 headache days or more in 1 month)
• • No use of central nervous system-effective medication or other medication for neurological/psychiatric treatment
• • No self-reported substance abuse within the last six months
• • No contraindication to MRI (e.g., pregnancy, claustrophobia, pacemakers, ear/cochlear implants, shrapnel injuries, clips, or other ferromagnetic/electrical objects/devices, diagnosed brain abnormality such as tumor, or skin lesions on the scalp.)
• • No contraindications for induced pain (e.g., no heart disease, high blood pressure, heart surgery, heart problems of any kind, severe asthma, respiratory problems of any kind, fibromyalgia, Raynaud's Syndrome or Disease, chronic pain, diabetes)
• • Participants must be capable of performing experimental tasks (e.g., are able to read), are fluent or native speakers of English
• • Participants must be able to tolerate the maximum level of thermal pain stimuli (for thermal stimuli)