Cognitive Performance in Healthy AdultsNCT07893886
Back Massage Before a Cognitive Task in Healthy Young Adults
A study testing Classical Back Massage, Passive Rest and No Additional Break in people with Cognitive Performance in Healthy Adults, run by DSW Ideis University at 1 site in Poland.
Trial summary
This study will compare a 15-minute back massage, 15 minutes of quiet rest, and no additional break before a mental task in healthy adults aged 18 to 27 years. Each participant will complete all three conditions in a random order at separate visits. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 27 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Cognitive Performance in Healthy Adults
- What is being tested?
- Classical Back Massage, Passive Rest and No Additional Break
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 78 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePoland
- Study dates
- Nov 2026to Mar 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 27 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 18 to 27 years and good general health.
- Informed consent and ability to attend three visits.
- Normal or corrected vision, understanding of Polish instructions, and ability to perform the computer task with the dominant hand.
Who cannot join
- Neurological, psychiatric, or other conditions that may affect study participation or task performance.
- Medications or substances affecting autonomic function.
- Contraindications to massage, including relevant skin lesions or inflammation.
- Failure to understand the task after repeated instruction or to complete calibration.
- Cognitive or relaxation-focused nonpharmacological interventions within the previous three months, excluding recreational physical activity.
- Caffeine or nicotine within four hours, or strenuous exercise within 12 hours before a visit; the visit may be rescheduled.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Poland1 site
Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego im. Polskich Olimpijczyków we Wrocławiu
Wroclaw
Maciej Lachowicz, PhD, +48 605 072 627, maciej.lachowicz@awf.wroc.pl
About this study
Official title: Classical Massage as Preparation for a Cognitive Task: A Randomized Three-Condition Crossover Study
This study will compare a 15-minute back massage, 15 minutes of quiet rest, and no additional break before a mental task in healthy adults aged 18 to 27 years. Each participant will complete all three conditions in a random order at separate visits. The study will measure task accuracy, heart rate, skin conductance, and perceived workload to assess whether massage offers a benefit beyond rest.
Read the detailed description
This randomized crossover study includes three visits approximately two weeks apart. Task practice and individual calibration take place before a seated resting measurement. Participants then receive massage, rest lying face down, or proceed directly to the task. The TLoadDback task lasts 16 minutes at a fixed, individually calibrated pace. Physiological signals are recorded during rest and task performance. Participants complete the NASA-TLX questionnaire after the task.
- Conditions
- Cognitive Performance in Healthy Adults
- Being tested
- Classical Back Massage, Passive Rest, No Additional Break
- Keywords
- Massage, Cognitive Workload, TLoadDback
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Classical Back MassageOther
A 15-minute classical back massage while lying face down, delivered by trained personnel before TLoadDback.
Passive RestBehavioural
A 15-minute quiet rest lying face down on the massage table without massage before TLoadDback.
No Additional BreakOther
TLoadDback begins immediately after the seated resting baseline, without an additional 15-minute preparation period.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Sequence ABC | Experimental | Back massage, passive rest, then no additional break; one condition per visit before TLoadDback. Receives: Other: Classical Back Massage; Behavioral: Passive Rest; Other: No Additional Break |
| Sequence ACB | Experimental | Back massage, no additional break, then passive rest; one condition per visit before TLoadDback. Receives: Other: Classical Back Massage; Behavioral: Passive Rest; Other: No Additional Break |
| Sequence BAC | Experimental | Passive rest, back massage, then no additional break; one condition per visit before TLoadDback. Receives: Other: Classical Back Massage; Behavioral: Passive Rest; Other: No Additional Break |
| Sequence BCA | Experimental | Passive rest, no additional break, then back massage; one condition per visit before TLoadDback. Receives: Other: Classical Back Massage; Behavioral: Passive Rest; Other: No Additional Break |
| Sequence CAB | Experimental | No additional break, back massage, then passive rest; one condition per visit before TLoadDback. Receives: Other: Classical Back Massage; Behavioral: Passive Rest; Other: No Additional Break |
| Sequence CBA | Experimental | No additional break, passive rest, then back massage; one condition per visit before TLoadDback. Receives: Other: Classical Back Massage; Behavioral: Passive Rest; Other: No Additional Break |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Weighted Accuracy on TLoadDback (WAcc)
Weighted accuracy across the full task: 0.65 x letter accuracy + 0.35 x digit accuracy. Letter accuracy includes correct detections and correct withholding of responses; digit accuracy is correct parity classification. Scores range from 0 to 100%, with higher scores indicating better performance.
Measured: During the 16-minute task at each of three visits approximately two weeks apart (about four weeks in total).
Mean Heart Rate During TLoadDback
Mean heart rate in beats per minute during the task, derived from photoplethysmography. Analyses will account for the precondition resting baseline from the same visit.
Measured: During the 16-minute task at each of three visits approximately two weeks apart (about four weeks in total).
Mean Skin Conductance During TLoadDback
Mean skin conductance in microsiemens during the task. Analyses will account for the precondition resting baseline from the same visit.
Measured: During the 16-minute task at each of three visits approximately two weeks apart (about four weeks in total).
Secondary outcomes (2)
Perceived Workload (NASA-TLX)
Unweighted mean of six NASA-TLX ratings, each scored from 0 to 100 and oriented so that higher values indicate greater workload or poorer perceived performance.
Measured: Immediately after the task at each of three visits approximately two weeks apart (about four weeks in total).
Median Response Time on TLoadDback
Median response time, in milliseconds, for correct responses that require a key press during the task.
Measured: During the 16-minute task at each of three visits approximately two weeks apart (about four weeks in total).
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted26 Oct 2026
- Study startNov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionMar 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionMar 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Cognitive Performance in Healthy AdultsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Model description
- Each participant completes three conditions in one of six randomized sequences: ABC, ACB, BAC, BCA, CAB, or CBA. A: back massage; B: passive rest; C: no additional break. Visits are approximately two weeks apart.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 78 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- DSW Ideis University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Maciej Lachowicz, PhD, Principal investigator, Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego im. Polskich Olimpijczyków we Wrocławiu
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07893886
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- COG-MASS-2026-01
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 18 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 26 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: No individual participant data sharing plan has been established. Study results will be reported in aggregate.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 26 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Classical Massage as Preparation for a Cognitive Task: A Randomized Three-Condition Crossover Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07893886
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- COG-MASS-2026-01
- Conditions
- Cognitive Performance in Healthy Adults
- Keywords
- Massage, Cognitive Workload, TLoadDback
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 78 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- DSW Ideis UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences
- Study start
- Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Mar 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Mar 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 26 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study will compare a 15-minute back massage, 15 minutes of quiet rest, and no additional break before a mental task in healthy adults aged 18 to 27 years. Each participant will complete all three conditions in a random order at separate visits. The study will measure task accuracy, heart rate, skin conductance, and perceived workload to assess whether massage offers a benefit beyond rest.
Detailed description
This randomized crossover study includes three visits approximately two weeks apart. Task practice and individual calibration take place before a seated resting measurement. Participants then receive massage, rest lying face down, or proceed directly to the task. The TLoadDback task lasts 16 minutes at a fixed, individually calibrated pace. Physiological signals are recorded during rest and task performance. Participants complete the NASA-TLX questionnaire after the task.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 6
- Model description
- Each participant completes three conditions in one of six randomized sequences: ABC, ACB, BAC, BCA, CAB, or CBA. A: back massage; B: passive rest; C: no additional break. Visits are approximately two weeks apart.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Sequence ABC | Experimental | Other: Classical Back Massage, Behavioral: Passive Rest, Other: No Additional BreakBack massage, passive rest, then no additional break; one condition per visit before TLoadDback. |
| Sequence ACB | Experimental | Other: Classical Back Massage, Behavioral: Passive Rest, Other: No Additional BreakBack massage, no additional break, then passive rest; one condition per visit before TLoadDback. |
| Sequence BAC | Experimental | Other: Classical Back Massage, Behavioral: Passive Rest, Other: No Additional BreakPassive rest, back massage, then no additional break; one condition per visit before TLoadDback. |
| Sequence BCA | Experimental | Other: Classical Back Massage, Behavioral: Passive Rest, Other: No Additional BreakPassive rest, no additional break, then back massage; one condition per visit before TLoadDback. |
| Sequence CAB | Experimental | Other: Classical Back Massage, Behavioral: Passive Rest, Other: No Additional BreakNo additional break, back massage, then passive rest; one condition per visit before TLoadDback. |
| Sequence CBA | Experimental | Other: Classical Back Massage, Behavioral: Passive Rest, Other: No Additional BreakNo additional break, passive rest, then back massage; one condition per visit before TLoadDback. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 27 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Age 18 to 27 years and good general health.
- Informed consent and ability to attend three visits.
- Normal or corrected vision, understanding of Polish instructions, and ability to perform the computer task with the dominant hand.
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Neurological, psychiatric, or other conditions that may affect study participation or task performance.
- Medications or substances affecting autonomic function.
- Contraindications to massage, including relevant skin lesions or inflammation.
- Failure to understand the task after repeated instruction or to complete calibration.
- Cognitive or relaxation-focused nonpharmacological interventions within the previous three months, excluding recreational physical activity.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Classical Back MassageA 15-minute classical back massage while lying face down, delivered by trained personnel before TLoadDback. | Other | Sequence ABC, Sequence ACB, Sequence BAC, Sequence BCA, Sequence CAB, Sequence CBA |
| Passive RestA 15-minute quiet rest lying face down on the massage table without massage before TLoadDback. | Behavioural | Sequence ABC, Sequence ACB, Sequence BAC, Sequence BCA, Sequence CAB, Sequence CBA |
| No Additional BreakTLoadDback begins immediately after the seated resting baseline, without an additional 15-minute preparation period. | Other | Sequence ABC, Sequence ACB, Sequence BAC, Sequence BCA, Sequence CAB, Sequence CBA |
Primary outcome
Weighted Accuracy on TLoadDback (WAcc)
Time frame: During the 16-minute task at each of three visits approximately two weeks apart (about four weeks in total).
Weighted accuracy across the full task: 0.65 x letter accuracy + 0.35 x digit accuracy. Letter accuracy includes correct detections and correct withholding of responses; digit accuracy is correct parity classification. Scores range from 0 to 100%, with higher scores indicating better performance.
Mean Heart Rate During TLoadDback
Time frame: During the 16-minute task at each of three visits approximately two weeks apart (about four weeks in total).
Mean heart rate in beats per minute during the task, derived from photoplethysmography. Analyses will account for the precondition resting baseline from the same visit.
Mean Skin Conductance During TLoadDback
Time frame: During the 16-minute task at each of three visits approximately two weeks apart (about four weeks in total).
Mean skin conductance in microsiemens during the task. Analyses will account for the precondition resting baseline from the same visit.
2 secondary outcomes
Perceived Workload (NASA-TLX)
Time frame: Immediately after the task at each of three visits approximately two weeks apart (about four weeks in total).
Median Response Time on TLoadDback
Time frame: During the 16-minute task at each of three visits approximately two weeks apart (about four weeks in total).
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 26 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. No individual participant data sharing plan has been established. Study results will be reported in aggregate.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Maciej Lachowicz, PhD principal investigator
Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego im. Polskich Olimpijczyków we Wrocławiu
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Classical Back Massage, Passive Rest and No Additional Break in people with Cognitive Performance in Healthy Adults, run by DSW Ideis University at 1 site in Poland.
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 3 inclusion and 6 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 Oct 2026. 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 Poland. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Maciej Lachowicz, PhD (+48 605 072 627, maciej.lachowicz@awf.wroc.pl), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Weighted Accuracy on TLoadDback (WAcc) (time frame: During the 16-minute task at each of three visits approximately two weeks apart (about four weeks in total).). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 26 Oct 2026.