Channels of Communication & Brain Functioning: Pilot fMRI Study (COCACE)

Canaux de COmmuniCAtion et Fonctionnement du CErveau: Étude Pilote en IRMf

Communication is a social process involving individuals exchanging messages. It is usual to observe different reactions according to the manner of communication, the manner in which such information is exchanged.

In this work, it will be examined how different communication modalities cause different reactions in a person. We make the assumption that each communication modality is based on a different brain network.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Communication; Personality

Detailed Description

This work will use the Process Communication Model (PCM) that is a tool based on human behavior, created by Taibi Kahler. It helps to understand how people interact and communicate. In order to communicate well with a person, it is convenient to use an adapted channel of communication. PCM focuses on the mastery of fundamental communication skills that are required to adapt and connect with all types of people. The sets of adaptive communications skills are learning, assessing, adapting, predicting and resolution. PCM defines six basic personality types, and four different channels of communication. Each one has one or several favourite channels of communication. On the whole, there are the following four channels of communication: Prescriptive, Informative-Interrogative, fostering, Emotional-Ludic.

• In the prescriptive channel, the interlocutor should be firm and determined, without being aggressive.
• The informative/interrogative channel requires a neutral tone of voice, showing no particular emotion. The interlocutor should emphasize using questions as a tool to communicate with the person.
• The ludic/emotive channel emphasizes exclamations, interjections, and allows expressing one's desires and urges, with immediate reactions without thinking them twice.
• The fostering channel allows sharing one's emotions and feelings with the interlocutor in a close, warm, and caring way.

These channels refer to both the used words and to the non-verbal part of communication (gestures, mimic, tone of voice).

This study aims to characterize the brain regions involved in the response to the different channels of communication.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 30

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• France
  • Centre-Val de Loire
    • Tours, Centre-Val de Loire, France, 37044
      • Centre Investigation Clinique

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 30 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy participants, medical students

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Healthy volunteers.
2. Both sexes (1:1).
3. Aged between 20 and 30 years old.
4. Medical student, from L2.
5. A person who has signed a written, free and informed consent.
6. Person affiliated to a social security scheme.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Current clinically significant psychiatric disorder (MINI 7.0): mood disorder, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorder, substance abuse.
2. Current or past neurological disorder with current functional impact.
3. Chronic unstable somatic pathology.
4. Occasional use of medication other than contraceptives, migraine medication, or analgesics.
5. MRI contraindications, including claustrophobia.
6. Pregnant or breastfeeding woman.
7. Subject deprived of liberty (by a judicial or administrative decision).
8. Subject protected by law (subject under guardianship and curatorship).
9. Legal incapacity and/or other circumstances rendering the subject incapable of understanding the nature, purpose or consequences of the study.
10. A person participating in a clinical drug study or in a period of exclusion from any clinical study due to previous participation.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Cross-Sectional

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Changes in fMRI activity level	Measure the differences in fMRI BOLD activation in healthy subjects while viewing typical videos of four different types of communication channels.	1-day

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Hospital, Tours
• Collaborators: Kahler Communication France
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: GISSOT Valérie, MD, CHRU Tours - CIC1415

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Oprea RC, Andersson F, Gissot V, Desmidt T, Siragusa M, Barantin L, Dubourg P, El-Hage W. Neural correlates of communication modes in medical students using fMRI. Brain Imaging Behav. 2025 Apr;19(2):446-455. doi: 10.1007/s11682-025-00985-z. Epub 2025 Feb 22.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 15, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): September 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 27, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 27, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): August 31, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 18, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 16, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: fMRI; Communication channel; Personality; Brain network; Process communication model
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Communication
• Other Study ID Numbers: PHAO20-WEH-COCACE (DR200102)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No