Wildfire Related Air Pollution Exposure and Cognitive Function Pilot Study (WRAP)

A Controlled Human Environmental Study Evaluating the Impacts of Cognitive Functions During the Exposure of Simulated Wildfire-Related Air Pollution (WRAP).

This study will examine how breathing wildfire-related air pollution (WRAP) for one hour affects healthy adults. The main question the study will answer if the effect of WRAP exposure on p-tau, a blood marker of cognitive decline. The changes in p-tau concentrations after exposure to WRAP will be compared to the changes in p-tau after exposure to clean air.

Participants will:

• Have 2 study visits - one visit with exposure to clean air and one visit with exposure to simulated wildfire smoke
• Have blood drawn before and after each exposure
• Complete cognitive tests and memory tasks before and after each exposure

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy Participants
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Simulated wildfire smoke exposure; Other: Clean Air exposure

Detailed Description

• Exposures will take place in a booth-like exposure chamber (1 x 0.7 x 1.8 m) with glass upper panels. One person will be exposed at a time.
• Simulated wildfire smoke will be generated by burning pine wood at a temperature that mimics smoldering combustion. The levels of smoke introduced into the exposure chamber are similar to those found during outdoor bonfires and wildfire events. The levels of particulate matter (PM) will be closely monitored during the exposure.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 12
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • New Jersey
    • Piscataway, New Jersey, United States, 08854
      • Rutgers-EOHSI

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy
• Non smoker
• Weight at least 110 pounds
• Between ages 18 and 40 years old

Exclusion Criteria:

• Claustrophobia or not comfortable in enclosed spaces.
• Colorblindness.
• Inability to hear verbal instructions.
• Cardiovascular disease which, in the opinion of the investigator, would elevate the participant's risk of adverse effects to WRAP exposure. This includes a history of stroke.
• Diabetes requiring the use of insulin.
• Pregnancy (A pregnancy test will be provided to you).
• Current asthma (an asthma attack within the past five years).
• History of childhood asthma.
• Medications which may affect cognition such as beta-blockers and CNS depressants.
• Respiratory symptoms in the previous 4 weeks (cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, etc.) which, in the opinion of the investigator, would elevate the participant's risk of adverse effects to WRAP exposure.
• Use of sedating cold/allergy medications in the previous week.
• Use of marijuana in the previous week.
• Consumption of alcohol in the previous 24 hours.
• Kidney or liver disease.
• Thyroid disease.
• High blood pressure.
• Cancer.
• Parkinson's disease.
• Pacemaker.
• Hay fever.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Exposure to simulated wildfire smoke, then exposure to clean air; At the first study visit the subject undergoes a 1-hour chamber exposure to simulated wildfire smoke (300 ug/m3 Particulate Matter). After a 1-week washout period, the subject undergoes a 1-hour chamber exposure to clean air (0 ug/m3 PM).	Other: Simulated wildfire smoke exposure; 1 hour exposure to simulated wildfire smoke (300 ug/m3 PM); Other: Clean Air exposure; 1 hour exposure to clean (HEPA-filtered) air (0 ug/m3 PM)
Experimental: Exposure to clean air, then exposure to simulated wildfire smoke; At the first study visit the subject undergoes a 1-hour chamber exposure to clean air (0 ug/m3 PM). After a 1-week washout period, the subject undergoes a 1-hour chamber exposure to simulated wildfire smoke (300 ug/m3 PM).	Other: Simulated wildfire smoke exposure; 1 hour exposure to simulated wildfire smoke (300 ug/m3 PM); Other: Clean Air exposure; 1 hour exposure to clean (HEPA-filtered) air (0 ug/m3 PM)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Changes in plasma P-tau 217 concentration from pre-exposure to post-exposure	Using blood samples collected pre- and post-exposure, the primary outcome will be assessed by measurement of plasma phosphorylated tau at threonine 217 (p-tau217) using an ultrasensitive immunoassay	Immediately before, immediately after each exposure

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Jose G Cedeno-Laurent, ScD, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey: New Brunswick/Piscataway Campus

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 18, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 20, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): November 20, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 25, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 25, 2025
• First Posted (Estimated): September 3, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 2, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 24, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: cognitive function; air pollution; wildfires; ultrafine particles
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pemphigus and fogo selvagem
• Other Study ID Numbers: Pro2025001070

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: There is no plan to make individual participant data available to other researchers.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No