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Stress, PsychologicalNCT05026333

Cognitive and Biological Responses in Stress

A study testing Cognitive Stress Testing in people with Stress, Psychological and Anxiety, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The goal of this pilot part of the study (Step 1) is to identify the optimal population of high and low anxiety and stress individuals who will differentially respond to a laboratory stress task as measured by changes in subjective stress response (affect), cognition, attention, and biological measures (autonomic and… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 45 years, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Stress, Psychological, Anxiety
What is being tested?
Cognitive Stress Testing
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
100 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
25 Jun 2021to 15 Jul 2022
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 45 years
  • Women only
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Caucasian
  • Female
  • 18-45 years of age
  • For the high perceived stress group: a PSS score of 15 or higher and a STAI-S of 39 or higher
  • For the low perceived stress group: a PSS score of 8 or lower and a STAI-S score of 24 or lower

Who cannot join

  • Any ongoing major medical, psychological, or psychiatric conditions and recent changes (3mo) in the use of psychoactive medications or other medications that interfere with the measured outcomes.
  • Medical conditions such as current neurological, cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, or cancer. This includes having a current or past within 1 year diagnosis of GI disorders, including but not limited to IBS, IBD, Celiac, or other nutritional deficiency/disease, current eating disorder, or past weight loss surgery.
  • Psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression (I.e., without history of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-4) psychiatric diagnosis.
  • Prior/Concomitant Therapy (e.g., Recent changes in the use of psychoactive medications or other medications that interfere with the measured outcomes, as determined by the PI).
  • Subject involved in any other clinical study within the preceding month or in the exclusion period after another clinical study.
  • Positive test for COVID-19 infection in the past month or if presenting symptoms of COVID-19 infection in the past 2 weeks.
Show all 32Show fewer
  • Diet:
  • Participant who changes her dietary habits within the preceding 4 weeks.
  • Participants on probiotics will be asked to wait 1 month before enrollment in the study.
  • Participant with an eating disorder.
  • Participant with special medicated diet (e.g., for obesity, anorexia, metabolic pathology).
  • Participant under artificial nutrition in the last 1 month.
  • Participant planning to modify her dietary habits during the course of the study.
  • Other Exclusions:
  • Pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant during the study; breast-feeding women based on the interview at screen (Visit 1) and the urine test on day of stress test (Visit 2).
  • Smoker with a moderate to high level of dependence to nicotine (e.g., more than 1/2 a pack of cigarettes a day).
  • Participant consuming regularly more than 3 units of alcohol per day (1 unit = 10mL or 8g).
  • Participants not able to answer questionnaires by writing, whatever the reason.
  • Participant with loos of liberty, by administrative or judicial decision.
  • Participant who is major but with a legal guardian.
  • Participant on antibiotics will be asked to wait 3 months before enrollment in the study.
  • Medications not Authorized:
  • Opiates/Narcotics
  • Chronic/Daily use of analgesics
  • Anti-seizure meds
  • Antidepressants (5HT3's / Tricyclics etc.) are allowed as long as it's been a stable dose for 3 months
  • Medications for ADD/ADHD (I.e., Adderall)
  • Any medication for appetite suppression
  • Chronic use of laxative/antidiarrheals/medications affecting GI motility
  • Insulin
  • Bile acid sequestrants
  • Use of centrally acting medications that will interfere with CNS testing

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • University of California, Los Angeles

    Los Angeles, California, 90095

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Pilot Study Aimed to Determine the Optimal Design for the UCLA/Danone Probiotic Intervention Study Related to Stress

The goal of this pilot part of the study (Step 1) is to identify the optimal population of high and low anxiety and stress individuals who will differentially respond to a laboratory stress task as measured by changes in subjective stress response (affect), cognition, attention, and biological measures (autonomic and metabolite responses).

Based on experience with different study populations, the investigator's believe that a healthy, homogenous population (Caucasian, women, premenopausal) with higher levels of state anxiety and perceived stress, and with greater responsiveness to laboratory stress tasks (which can also be used in the probiotic intervention study in Step 2) will provide the highest likelihood of identifying the underlying central mechanisms of stress responsiveness in Step 1 and then for the probiotic intervention in Step 2.

Read more

For this pilot study, the investigator's will look at baseline measures to determine differences in responses to four subjective (affect/cognition/attention) stress tasks (primary endpoints) and biological (secondary endpoints) measures in a high stress group and a low stress group.

If for Step 1 of the study, the investigator's are able to verify the stratification of the participants into high and low stress groups based on questionnaire data and show differences between participants with high and low perceived stress in psychological characteristics, lab stress tasks and potentially in biological responses, this will help to determine the optimal cut off values, and the optimal stress tasks to be conducted in the planned probiotic intervention study of Step 2.

Being tested
Cognitive Stress Testing
Keywords
stress, women, high stress, low stress, perceived stress
Medical subject headings
Stress, Psychological, Anxiety Disorders

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Cognitive Stress TestingOther

    Also called ANS testing, metabolites, cognitive tasks, stress tasks

    Cognitive and stress study with no product intervention and noninvasive. The high stress/anxiety group will be compared to the low stress/anxiety group in terms of changes from baseline to after the cognitive and stress tests (i.e., 4 laboratory tasks) and metabolite measures.

Study groups in NCT05026333
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
High Stress GroupExperimentalGroup of high stress participants based on cutoff scores on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the STAI - State Anxiety Scale.
Receives: Other: Cognitive Stress Testing
Low Stress GroupExperimentalGroup of low stress participants based on cutoff scores on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the STAI - State Anxiety Scale.
Receives: Other: Cognitive Stress Testing

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Differences in Subjective Stress Response

    Between group differences in pre-and post- of the "overall" negative and positive affect subscale scores from the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) administered at baseline immediately before and after the 4 brief and well validated laboratory stress tasks. PANAS scores can range from 10-50 for both the positive and negative affect, with the lower scores representing lower levels of positive/negative affect, and higher scores representing higher levels of positive/negative affect.

    Measured: Pre and Post laboratory testing during the in-clinic visit lasting 2-4 hours.

Secondary outcomes (7)
  1. Differences in Attention/Executive Function

    Between and within group differences on the time it takes to complete the Color Stroop attention/executive function lab stress task.

    Measured: Throughout the Color Stroop laboratory test at the in-clinic visit lasting approximately 30 minutes.

  2. Differences in Emotional Arousal System

    Between and within group differences in valence and emotional arousal ratings during the IAPS task.

    Measured: Throughout the IAPS laboratory test during the in-clinic visit lasting approximately 30 minutes.

  3. Differences in Subjective Stress Response

    Between and within group differences on the negative affect subscale from the Brief Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) before and after the arithmetic task. PANAS scores can range from 10-50 for both the positive and negative affect, with the lower scores representing lower levels of positive/negative affect, and higher scores representing higher levels of positive/negative affect.

    Measured: Pre and Post the arithmetic stress task during the in-clinic visit lasting approximately 30 minutes.

  4. Changes in Autonomic Measures - Heart Rate Variability

    Between and within group differences in overall average change in heart rate variability pre and post each laboratory stress task.

    Measured: Throughout each laboratory test during the in-clinic visit lasting 2-4 hours.

  5. Differences in Attention/Executive Function

    Between and within group differences on the time it takes to complete the Trails A and B attention/executive function lab stress task.

    Measured: Throughout the Trails A & B laboratory tests at the in-clinic visit lasting approximately 30 minutes.

  6. Changes in Autonomic Measures - diastolic and systolic blood pressure

    Between and within group differences in overall average change in both diastolic and systolic blood pressure pre and post each laboratory stress task.

    Measured: Throughout each laboratory test during the in-clinic visit lasting 2-4 hours.

  7. Changes in Autonomic Measures - Skin Conductance

    Between and within group differences in overall average change in skin conductance pre and post each laboratory stress task.

    Measured: Throughout each laboratory test during the in-clinic visit lasting 2-4 hours.

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted30 Aug 2021
  2. Study start25 Jun 2021
  3. Primary completion15 Jul 2022
  4. Study completion15 Jul 2022

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Non-randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
2 groups (high stress/anxiety compared to low stress/anxiety) will be compared on their performance on within laboratory stress and cognitive tasks (4 different tests).
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Participant
Enrolment
100 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05026333
Sponsor's protocol ID
IRB # 20-001921
Status last verified
Oct 2022
First submitted
10 Aug 2021
Last updated
12 Oct 2022
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: At this time there is no plan to make the de-identified data available for sharing with other researchers

Publications

  • Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R. A global measure of perceived stress. J Health Soc Behav. 1983 Dec;24(4):385-96. No abstract available.

    PubMed 6668417
  • Berthoud HR. Interactions between the "cognitive" and "metabolic" brain in the control of food intake. Physiol Behav. 2007 Aug 15;91(5):486-98. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.12.016. Epub 2007 Jan 12.

    PubMed 17307205
  • Zigmond AS, Snaith RP. The hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1983 Jun;67(6):361-70. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1983.tb09716.x.

    PubMed 6880820
  • Watson D, Clark LA, Tellegen A. Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: the PANAS scales. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1988 Jun;54(6):1063-70. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.54.6.1063.

    PubMed 3397865
  • Murphy KJ, Hodges TE, Sheppard PAS, Troyer AK, Hampson E, Galea LAM. Sex differences in cortisol and memory following acute social stress in amnestic mild cognitive impairment. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2020 Nov;42(9):881-901. doi: 10.1080/13803395.2020.1825633. Epub 2020 Oct 6.

    PubMed 33023371
  • Helminen EC, Morton ML, Wang Q, Felver JC. Stress Reactivity to the Trier Social Stress Test in Traditional and Virtual Environments: A Meta-Analytic Comparison. Psychosom Med. 2021 Apr 1;83(3):200-211. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000918.

    PubMed 33534392
  • Wheelock MD, Goodman AM, Harnett NG, Wood KH, Mrug S, Granger DA, Knight DC. Sex-related Differences in Stress Reactivity and Cingulum White Matter. Neuroscience. 2021 Apr 1;459:118-128. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.02.014. Epub 2021 Feb 13.

    PubMed 33588003
  • Olfert MD, Barr ML, Charlier CC, Greene GW, Zhou W, Colby SE. Sex Differences in Lifestyle Behaviors among U.S. College Freshmen. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Feb 7;16(3):482. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16030482.

    PubMed 30736399
  • Luque B, Castillo-Mayen R, Cuadrado E, Gutierrez-Domingo T, Rubio SJ, Arenas A, Delgado-Lista J, Perez Martinez P, Tabernero C. The Role of Emotional Regulation and Affective Balance on Health Perception in Cardiovascular Disease Patients According to Sex Differences. J Clin Med. 2020 Sep 30;9(10):3165. doi: 10.3390/jcm9103165.

    PubMed 33007817
  • Marin IA, Goertz JE, Ren T, Rich SS, Onengut-Gumuscu S, Farber E, Wu M, Overall CC, Kipnis J, Gaultier A. Microbiota alteration is associated with the development of stress-induced despair behavior. Sci Rep. 2017 Mar 7;7:43859. doi: 10.1038/srep43859.

    PubMed 28266612
  • Schneider TR, Rench TA, Lyons JB, Riffle RR. The influence of neuroticism, extraversion and openness on stress responses. Stress Health. 2012 Apr;28(2):102-10. doi: 10.1002/smi.1409. Epub 2011 Jun 15.

    PubMed 22281953
  • Cohen S, Janicki-Deverts D, Doyle WJ, Miller GE, Frank E, Rabin BS, Turner RB. Chronic stress, glucocorticoid receptor resistance, inflammation, and disease risk. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Apr 17;109(16):5995-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1118355109. Epub 2012 Apr 2.

    PubMed 22474371
  • Villada C, Hidalgo V, Almela M, Salvador A. Individual Differences in the Psychobiological Response to Psychosocial Stress (Trier Social Stress Test): The Relevance of Trait Anxiety and Coping Styles. Stress Health. 2016 Apr;32(2):90-9. doi: 10.1002/smi.2582. Epub 2014 Jun 11.

    PubMed 24916722
  • Walter S, Kessler H, Gruss S, Jerg-Bretzke L, Scheck A, Strobel J, Hoffmann H, Traue HC. The influence of neuroticism and psychological symptoms on the assessment of images in three-dimensional emotion space. Psychosoc Med. 2011;8:Doc04. doi: 10.3205/psm000073. Epub 2011 Jun 6.

    PubMed 21698089
  • Crow AJD. Associations Between Neuroticism and Executive Function Outcomes: Response Inhibition and Sustained Attention on a Continuous Performance Test. Percept Mot Skills. 2019 Aug;126(4):623-638. doi: 10.1177/0031512519848221. Epub 2019 May 30.

    PubMed 31146642

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Cognitive Stress Testing in people with Stress, Psychological and Anxiety, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 32 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Oct 2022. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Differences in Subjective Stress Response (time frame: Pre and Post laboratory testing during the in-clinic visit lasting 2-4 hours.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05026333, which also lists 62 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 12 Oct 2022.

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