Actively Recruiting
State-Dependent Interoception, Value-Based Decision Making, and Introspection
Led by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) · Updated on 2026-01-26
900
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
N/A
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are studying how negative emotions such as stress, pain, sadness, and craving affect decision-making and brain activity in healthy adults aged 18 to 55. The study aims to understand how these negative emotional states influence value-based decisions and the brain regions involved, with the goal of improving understanding of mental health conditions. This research is conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and involves within-subject experiments inducing different negative emotional states compared to neutral states. Participants will attend three clinic visits over three weeks, during which they will be exposed to various emotional stressors such as watching emotional videos, performing arithmetic tasks, experiencing thermal pain, cold immersion of a hand, or being tempted by food after fasting. Each participant will experience both neutral and negative states in a counterbalanced design. During these sessions, sensors will monitor physiological responses, saliva samples will be collected, and some participants will undergo brain scans using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while performing decision-making tasks. Throughout the study, participants will complete questionnaires about their personal history, personality, and current state of mind. Researchers will assess decision-making behavior, brain activity in specific regions, interoceptive accuracy, and confidence. Data collected include brain imaging, behavioral tasks, physiological monitoring, and self-reports of pleasure and goal progress. The study lasts three weeks, with close monitoring during and right after the emotional state inductions to measure the effects on decision-making and brain function.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
State-dependent Interoception, Value-based Decision-making, and Introspection
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Ability to understand and willingly sign informed consent
- Adults aged 18 to 55 years
- Able to read and write in English to understand all instructions
You will not qualify if you...
- Unable to comply with study procedures or follow-up visits
- Serious or unstable medical conditions posing cardiovascular, neurological, or physical risks
- Current psychiatric diagnosis or high depression/anxiety scores
- Diagnosis of substance-related or addictive disorders or problematic gambling or media-based behaviors
- Regular use of psychoactive medications or corticosteroids
- Pregnancy
- Medical conditions affecting temperature sensitivity, pain thresholds, or somatosensation for stress and pain inductions
- Current or past chronic pain conditions
- Skin conditions or recent tattoos in testing areas for pain induction
- Use of medications affecting pain or heat perception
- Conditions preventing safe fasting or risk of hypoglycemia for craving induction
- Current dieting or strong desire to start carbohydrate-restricted diets
- History of food allergies relevant to the study
- Conditions posing risk for fMRI safety, including metal implants, pacemakers, insulin pumps, body piercings, pregnancy, or left-handedness for fMRI sessions
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 - Variable per participant depending on crossover schedule
Participants undergo a series of experimental state inductions, including neutral and negative valence states such as pain, stress, craving, frustration, and negative emotion, in a counterbalanced crossover design to assess effects on decision-making and brain activity.
Multiple visits for state induction and assessment
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
S
Silvia Lopez Guzman, M.D.
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Model
CROSSOVER
Primary Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Number of Arms
5
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