Acute Plasma Abeta Responses to Stress

NCT ID: NCT05521919

Last Updated: 2025-12-10

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

38 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-12-05

Study Completion Date

2024-12-10

Brief Summary

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Research has shown that activation of the sympathetic nervous system for extended periods or during certain times in life can increase the risk for Alzheimer's disease. Some research in animal models show that acute activation of the sympathetic nervous system through stress exposure can increase certain Alzheimer's disease-related biomarkers, such as amyloid-beta, within hours of exposure. However, how acute sympathetic nervous system activation via stress exposure affects amyloid-beta levels in humans has yet to be examined.

In this study, the investigators will examine whether brief increases in sympathetic activation result in immediate changes in plasma amyloid-beta levels in the five hours after exposure.

Detailed Description

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Aim 1: determine whether acute exposure to stress (increasing sympathetic nervous system activation) increases plasma amyloid-beta-40 and amyloid-beta-42 in the five hours following exposure.

Conditions

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Stress Reaction Stress Physiology

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

Participants will complete one session of each condition: stress and no-stress. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two conditions for their first session. Participants will then be randomly assigned to the remaining condition for the second session.
Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Stress (sympathetic nervous system activation)

Stress will be induced using the socially evaluated cold pressor test.

Participants will complete three rounds of the socially evaluated cold pressor test.

The socially evaluated cold pressor test involves submerging one hand in ice-cold water for 3 minutes while participants' reactions are filmed on camera.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Sympathetic Nervous System Activation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will complete a task that increases sympathetic nervous system activation.

No-stress

Participants will hold a hand in room temperature water for 3 minutes.

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

No-stress

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will complete a task that will not affect their sympathetic nervous system activity.

Interventions

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Sympathetic Nervous System Activation

Participants will complete a task that increases sympathetic nervous system activation.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

No-stress

Participants will complete a task that will not affect their sympathetic nervous system activity.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Healthy adult weighing at least 110 pounds
* No chronic conditions or illness
* Taking no medications or drugs that might alter the stress response (e.g., corticosteroids, beta-blockers, and others)
* Not using any hormone-containing medication (e.g., hormonal contraceptives, hormone replacement, etc.)
* No contraindications for cold pressor test exposure (high blood pressure, heart disease, dysrhythmia, peripheral vascular disease, any other cardiovascular disorder, diabetes, vasculitis, lupus, tingling or numbness in the hands and/or feet, cryoglobulinemia, and Reynaud's phenomenon)
* No history of fainting during blood draws
* No phobia of having their blood drawn
* No general history of fainting or seizures
* Not currently diagnosed with a mood disorder (e.g., major depressive disorder)
* Not pregnant in the past 12 months
* Not lactating in the past 12 months
* Not trying to become pregnant if premenopausal
* Experienced natural menopause if postmenopausal
* Be non-smokers
* Be fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria

\- Unwilling to be filmed during the stress task OR unwilling to sign the waiver allowing their filmed responses to be used in scientific presentations
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Washington University School of Medicine

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Keck School of Medicine of USC

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Southern California

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Mara Mather

Professor of Gerontology, Psychology, and Biomedical Engineering

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Other Identifiers

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UP-22-00404

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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