Hemispheric Asymmetries in Emotion-Cognition Interactions

July 8, 2025 updated by: University of Alberta
In this research, the investigators will recruit 2 groups of individuals: older adults (aged over 65) with anxiety and/or depression and older adults without mental health issues. Individuals who are eligible to participate in the study based on their score in the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI) showing their hand preferences will have the opportunity to sign up using the online form created by the research team. This experiment will take place in an electroencephalogram (EEG) lab. Participants will wear an EEG cap with 256 sensors that record their brain activity while completing an emotional oddball task containing emotional pictures and shapes. The task will take approximately 1 hour with 8 short breaks. EEG is a safe and non-invasive testing technique, and participants will feel little or no discomfort during this EEG experiment. The goal of this study is to investigate the effect of fearful emotion on the cognitive oddball task to deepen understanding of the emotion-cognition interaction in older adults with mental health conditions.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of fearful emotion on the cognitive oddball task using electroencephalogram (EEG) technology. The study aims to deepen the understanding of the emotion-cognition interaction in humans. Emotions are fundamental to human behavior, and they can have a significant impact on cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and decision-making. Furthermore, the relationship between emotion and cognition has been implicated in numerous psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms by which emotions affect cognition is essential for the development of effective treatments for these disorders.

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive and widely-used technique that measures the electrical activity of the brain, making it an excellent tool for studying the relationship between emotion and cognition. This study will use EEG to examine the neural correlates of attentional processing in response to emotional stimuli. Specifically, the investigators will use an emotional oddball task to investigate the effect of fearful emotions on the attention of deviant stimuli, which is an established paradigm in the study of emotion and cognition.

Furthermore, this study will explore the impact of the location of the deviant stimuli presentation (i.e., in the left or right visual field) on the emotion-cognition interaction. This variable is crucial because previous research has suggested hemispheric asymmetries in emotion processing and contralateral visual processing. By including this variable in the study, the investigators will be able to examine whether the emotion-cognition interaction is influenced by the location of stimulus presentation.

Additionally, the investigators will include 2 groups: older adults with anxiety and/or depression, and older adults without mental health issues. By examining these different groups, the investigators aim to elucidate how mental health status may modulate emotion-cognition interactions.

The inclusion of novel variables, such as the location of stimulus presentation and mental health status, makes this study innovative and likely to produce novel findings that will contribute to the existing literature on this topic. It is hypothesized that the presentation of fearful images in the cognitive oddball task will result in greater changes in brain electrical activity as compared to neutral images. Specifically, the investigators expect to observe increased activity in the ventral affective system (e.g., amygdala) and other regions of the brain associated with emotional processing. The investigators also hypothesize that the location of the shape presentation (whether on the left or right visual field) may modulate the effect of emotion on cognition by influencing the event-related potentials (ERPs) in dorsal executive system (e.g., dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC)).

The objectives of this study are:

  • To investigate the effect of fearful emotion on the cognitive oddball task using EEG technology.
  • To analyze changes in brain electrical activity in response to fearful and neutral stimuli.
  • To investigate whether the location of shape presentation (left or right visual field) modulates the effect of emotion on cognition.
  • To explore how mental health status may modulate emotion-cognition interactions.

Research Method/Procedures:

Participants who meet the inclusion criteria (strong handedness) will be scheduled for a one-hour session in the EEG lab. During the session, participants will wear an EEG cap with 256 channels that record their brain electrical activity while they complete an emotional oddball task. The task will consist of fearful and neutral pictures and black circles that are shown in the middle, left, or right visual field of the screen. The frequency of shapes appearing in the left or right visual field will be varied to investigate the impact of visual field location. The task duration will be approximately 1 hour with 8 short breaks during the processing.

For data analysis, the investigators will analyze the EEG data using time-frequency analysis to identify changes in brain electrical activity in response to fearful and neutral stimuli. The investigators will compare the results of the odd stimulus after fearful images with that after neutral images to isolate the effect of emotions on cognitive processing. The investigators will also use statistical analysis to identify any significant differences in the impact of visual field location on the effect of emotion on cognition. Finally, the investigators will interpret our findings in the context of existing literature on the emotion-cognition interaction in humans, and conduct cross-sectional comparisons between different mental health conditions to investigate the generalizability of the findings.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
50

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Canada
    • Alberta
      • Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
        • University of Alberta

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

  1. Healthy older adult aged over 60 who do not exhibit mental health issues and demonstrate healthy aging from a cognitive perspective.
  2. Older adults aged over 60 who have been diagnosed with Anxiety and/or Depression, while still demonstrating healthy aging from a cognitive standpoint.

Participants with Edinburgh Handedness Inventory scores falling within the range of [-100, -41] and [41, 100] are eligible to participate in this study.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • The healthy older adult group is composed of participants aged over 60 who do not exhibit mental health issues and demonstrate healthy aging from a cognitive perspective.
  • The older adults with mental health issues group will consist participants aged over 60 diagnosed with these conditions are included while still demonstrating healthy aging from a cognitive standpoint.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participants currently taking medication known to affect brain activity and/or cognitive processing.
  • Participants with a history of alcohol or substance abuse.
  • Participants with a history of head injury or concussion that may impact brain activity and/or cognitive processing.
  • Participants with Neurological Disorders.
  • Participants with Edinburgh Handedness Inventory scores falling within the range of [-40, 40].

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Older Adults with Mental Health Issues Group
The older adults with mental health issues group is crucial for examining the impact of Anxiety and/or Depression on cognitive aging. Participants aged over 60 diagnosed with these conditions are included while still demonstrating healthy aging from a cognitive standpoint. This ensures that any observed cognitive differences can be attributed to mental health conditions rather than age-related decline alone.
Other: Observation
This study is observational, therefore, there is no intervention included.
Older Adults Healthy Control Group
The healthy older adult group is carefully defined to serve as a comparison group against individuals with mental health issues. By selecting participants aged over 60 who do not exhibit mental health issues and demonstrate healthy aging from a cognitive perspective, the investigators establish a baseline for cognitive functioning within the older adult population.
Other: Observation
This study is observational, therefore, there is no intervention included.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Magnitude of Rhythmic Activity in EEG Oscillations: Alpha, Theta, and Delta Bands
Time Frame: After the raw EEG data being collected, the investigators plan to conduct preprocessing, independent component analysis and extract EEG bands of our interest starting in January 2025.
This study explores emotion and visual attention aspects within EEG oscillations, particularly in the Alpha, Theta, and Delta bands. These bands are known to influence emotional processing and attentional mechanisms.
After the raw EEG data being collected, the investigators plan to conduct preprocessing, independent component analysis and extract EEG bands of our interest starting in January 2025.
Event-related potentials(ERPs): Peak Amplitude of P100, P300, and Late Positive Potential
Time Frame: After the raw EEG data being collected, the investigators plan to conduct preprocessing, independent component analysis and extract ERPs of our interest starting in January 2025.
This study investigates Event-Related Potentials (ERPs), focusing on P100, P300, and Late Positive Potential (LPP). The peak amplitude of these components reflects the maximum voltage deflection recorded from the scalp during these time windows following specific stimuli. By analyzing the peak amplitude, the investigators aim to explore the neural mechanisms implicated in cognitive functions such as attention, decision-making, and emotional processing.
After the raw EEG data being collected, the investigators plan to conduct preprocessing, independent component analysis and extract ERPs of our interest starting in January 2025.
Event-related potentials(ERPs): Latency of P100, P300, and Late Positive Potential
Time Frame: After the raw EEG data being collected, the investigators plan to conduct preprocessing, independent component analysis and extract ERPs of our interest starting in January 2025.
This study investigates Event-Related Potentials (ERPs), focusing on P100, P300, and Late Positive Potential (LPP). The latency of these components represents the time between the presentation of a stimulus and the peak activity they exhibit. The value of latency lies in its precision regarding the timing of cognitive processes. Through latency analysis, the investigators gain a detailed understanding of the sequential progression of neural events.
After the raw EEG data being collected, the investigators plan to conduct preprocessing, independent component analysis and extract ERPs of our interest starting in January 2025.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Alberta

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Anthony Singhal, PhD, University of Alberta

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 30, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 6, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 6, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 9, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 9, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 8, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Pro00130303

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Anxiety Depression Disorder

Clinical Trials on Observation

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings