A Comparison of Acute Psychobiological Responses to Laboratory Stress Tests

NCT ID: NCT06066320

Last Updated: 2023-10-25

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 31 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-04-26
• Study Completion Date: 2023-10-09

Brief Summary

The Mannheim Multicomponent Stress Test (MMST) is a validated laboratory stress test that combines cognitive, emotional, acoustic and motivational stress components. However the utility of the MMST as a viable alternative to the more commonly used Trier social stress test (TSST) to elicit HPA reactivity remains unclear as meaningful increases in saliva cortisol (> 2.5 nmol/l) have been shown to occur in <50% of participants yet the TSST typically elicits meaningful increases in saliva cortisol in >70% of participants; likely as a consequence of the greater social evaluative component in the TSST.

Using a randomised between groups design, this study aims to compare psychobiological responses to the MMST and TSST.

Conditions

Stress, Physiological; Stress, Psychological

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

MMST

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

MMST

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants randomised to the MMST group will complete the computer based paced auditory serial addition task (PASAT-C) in the presence of one observer and is informed that incorrect answers result in reduced monetary compensation. Simultaneously, the participant is exposed to emotionally evocative images and white noise via headphones

TSST

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

TSST

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants randomly assigned to the TSST condition will be exposed to a traditional TSST protocol. The TSST consists of a preparation phase (5 min), followed by a mock job interview and a mental arithmetic task (5 min each) in front of a panel consisting of two observers and a video recording device.

Interventions

MMST

Participants randomised to the MMST group will complete the computer based paced auditory serial addition task (PASAT-C) in the presence of one observer and is informed that incorrect answers result in reduced monetary compensation. Simultaneously, the participant is exposed to emotionally evocative images and white noise via headphones

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

TSST

Participants randomly assigned to the TSST condition will be exposed to a traditional TSST protocol. The TSST consists of a preparation phase (5 min), followed by a mock job interview and a mental arithmetic task (5 min each) in front of a panel consisting of two observers and a video recording device.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Participants who…

• have read and signed the study informed consent
• are healthy, recreationally active men and women aged 18-35 years
• are willing to provide saliva samples throughout through the duration of the study
• are using monophasic birth control (women only)

Exclusion Criteria

Participants who…

• have a recent history or are a current smoker
• are currently taking prescription/Over-the-counter medication (excluding females taking oral combined contraception
• consume ≥ 91 units of alcohol per month
• have a clinically diagnosed history of cardiovascular and/or metabolic disease including diabetes and abnormal blood pressure
• are pregnant
• have a recent or ongoing viral or bacterial illness in past 4 weeks
• have a clinically diagnosed psychiatric disorder
• have a clinically diagnosed sleeping disorder
• have a clinically diagnosed gambling addiction
• BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 - calculated in the online health screening questionnaire
• Endurance trained or engage in ≥3.5 hours of physical activity a week

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 35 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Liverpool John Moores University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Daniel Kashi

Postdoctoral Research Officer

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Neil P Walsh, PHD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Liverpool John Moores University

Locations

Faculty of Science, Liverpool John Moores University

Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom

Countries

United Kingdom

Other Identifiers

ORION study 1B

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id