Actively Recruiting
Alcohol and the Social Brain: An Alcohol-Administration Hyperscanning Study Using a Within-Subject Design
Led by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · Updated on 2025-08-29
200
Participants Needed
2
Research Sites
69 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
This research aims to understand how alcohol affects social and individual behaviors by studying young adults aged 21 to 30 who regularly drink alcohol. It focuses on how alcohol influences social bonding, mood, and brain activity during interactions between pairs of people. The study uses brain scanning techniques to observe brain patterns and measures mood and social feelings to explore alcohol's role in social rewards and risks for alcohol use disorder. Participants will attend two laboratory sessions about one week apart, each involving interactions with a stranger while consuming either an alcoholic beverage targeting a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or a similar non-alcoholic drink. The order of these sessions is randomized. During each session, participants perform various tasks, including music perception, attention tests, and natural social interactions, while brain activity is recorded simultaneously from both people using EEG hyperscanning. Throughout the study, participants complete questionnaires on mood and social closeness, and nonverbal behaviors are observed during interactions. Researchers analyze brain synchrony within and between participants and track drinking behavior over time. The main outcomes include brain activity patterns during and after beverage intake and long-term alcohol use reports. The total participation involves two laboratory visits and follow-up assessments lasting up to 24 months.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Alcohol and the Social Brain: An Alcohol-Administration Hyperscanning Study Employing a Within-Subject Design
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Between the ages of 21 and 30
- Regularly consumes alcohol
You will not qualify if you...
- History of adverse reaction to the amount of beverage used in the study
- History of major problems associated with alcohol
- Taking medications that may interact adversely with alcohol
- Medical conditions that contraindicate alcohol use
- History of skull fractures or discomfort with EEG procedures
- Female participants who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - 2 weeks
Participants attend two laboratory sessions about one week apart. In each session, they consume either an alcohol beverage or a non-alcoholic control beverage while engaging in social interaction tasks with a stranger, including EEG hyperscanning to record brain activity.
2 visits (in-person)
Duration - Up to 24 months
Participants report their drinking behavior and alcohol-related outcomes over the following 24 months after the laboratory sessions.
Self-reports collected periodically
Trial Site Locations
Total: 2 locations
1
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Champaign, Illinois, United States, 61820
Not Yet Recruiting
2
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, Illinois, United States, 61820
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
C
Catharine E Fairbairn, Ph.D.
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NA
Model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Number of Arms
2
Similar Trials
Frequently Asked Questions
Have more questions? Get in touch with our team for quick support
Not the Right Trial for You?
Explore thousands of other clinical trials that might be a better match.
Sign up to get personalized trial recommendations delivered to your inbox.
Already have an account? Log in here