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.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy

Detailed Description

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.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 17

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Berlin, Germany, 12247
    • Medical School Berlin
  • Berlin, Germany, 10117
    • Department of Psychiatry und Psychotherapy, CCM, Charité - University Medicine Berlin
  • Berlin, Germany, 13353
    • Department of Anesthesiology and Intensvie Care Medicine CVK/CCM, Charité - University Medicine Berlin

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 40 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy adult male and female subjects

Description

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

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Healthy participants; Male or female healthy participants

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Sensorimotor brain activation	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.	The participantes will be followed up for the duration of fMRI-scan, an exspected average of 1 hour

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Systematic changes for evaluation processes	1. 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) .	The participants will be followed up for the duration of fMRI-scan, an exspected average of 1 hour

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Charite University, Berlin, Germany
• Collaborators: Medical School Berlin

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: August 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 1, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): April 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 10, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 4, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): August 6, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): August 10, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 9, 2016
• Last Verified: August 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Social perceptions
• Other Study ID Numbers: SozPrime