Actively Recruiting
Linked Outcomes in Various EEG-Hyperscanning Setups
Led by Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital · Updated on 2026-02-03
40
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
63 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
S
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Lead Sponsor
U
Université de Montréal
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
The goal of this observational study is to investigate how brains of healthy controls respond when they interact with their romantic partner compared to when they interact with a stranger. The main goals are: * Explore how two people's brains interact with each other by recording brain activity at the same time (a method called "hyperscanning") using electroencephalography (EEG). Using hyperscanning, this study will compare brain-to-brain communication in romantic couples versus strangers, both when they are together in person and when they are interacting remotely. * Test a computational model that will help explain how this brain-to-brain communication works, using real data from the brain activity EEG recordings. * Explore whether factors such as age, gender, how aware people are of their own body sensations, and their level of attachment influence brain-to-brain communication. Researchers will compare brain-to-brain communication in romantic couples versus strangers, both when they are together in person and when they are interacting remotely to see which factors effect brain-to-brain communication. Enrolled participants will: * Complete a consent visit with their romantic partner where they will sign a consent form and have their pain sensitivity assessed. * Fill out sets of questionnaires assessing their romantic relationship, their personality, and other traits. * Complete two EEG scans, one with their romantic partner and one with a stranger. At both scans they will conduct a pain task, a communication task, and a light stimulation task.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Linked Outcomes in Various EEG-Hyperscanning Setups
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Healthy volunteers in a romantic partnership for at least 6 months.
- Aged between 20 and 60 years.
- Ability to fully understand and consent to study procedures.
- Fluent in English.
- On stable medication doses for 30 days prior and agree not to change them during the study.
You will not qualify if you...
- Any contraindications to EEG scanning.
- Use of illicit drugs or opioids.
- Epilepsy, seizures triggered by lights, or history of seizures.
- Any illness interfering with the study, such as severe psychiatric disorders.
- Current chronic pain conditions.
- Unwillingness to be audio recorded.
- Unwillingness to receive brief experimental pain on the lower left leg.
- Unwillingness to avoid marijuana use 48 hours before scans.
- Unwillingness to avoid nicotine use 4 hours before scans.
- Any impairment or situation preventing satisfactory study completion as judged by study staff.
AI-Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States, 02129
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
L
Lara Gardiner
CONTACT
A
Alessandra Anzolin, PhD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Masking
N/A
Allocation
N/A
Model
N/A
Primary Purpose
N/A
Number of Arms
2
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