NCT05457725

Modulating Neurocognitive Processes of Learning to Trust and Distrust in Aging

Characterizing and Modulating Neurocognitive Processes of Learning to Trust and Distrust in Aging II

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 68 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Florida · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 100 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Much of human interaction is based on trust. Aging has been associated with deficits in trust-related decision making, likely further exacerbated in age-associated neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer's disease/AD), possibly underlying the dramatically growing public health problem of elder fraud. Optimal trust-related decision making and avoiding exploitation require the ability to learn about the trustworthiness of social partners across multiple interactions, but the role that learning plays in determining age deficits in trust decisions is currently unknown. Aim: Probe the malleability of the underlying neurocircuitry of trust-learning deficits in aging. This study will utilize real-time fMRI neurofeedback to train older adults in brain activity up-regulation toward enhanced trust-related learning in aging and confirm critical mechanisms of experience-dependent social decisions in aging. Grant R01AG072658 Aim 3: Test the malleability of trust-learning neurocircuitry toward optimized trust-related decision making in aging.

Detailed description

This study will apply rtfMRI neurofeedback training as an intervention method, to demonstrate that older adults can be trained in volitional brain activity up-regulation, reducing their trust-learning deficits. The study will comprises several MRI sessions including pre-training, training, and post-training scans.

Conditions

• Aging
• Cognitive Change
• Neurocognitive Disorders, Mild

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Contingent rtfMRI neurofeedback training	Contingent rtfMRI neurofeedback training will follow an alternating up-regulation/rest block design with screen-color cues. Visual feedback about real-time brain activity in the ROI will be provided (e.g., via a thermometer bar). During resting blocks, the thermometer bar remains static.
BEHAVIORAL	Non-contingent/sham rtfMRI neurofeedback training	Non-contingent/sham rtfMRI neurofeedback training will follow an alternating up-regulation/rest block design with screen-color cues. Visual feedback about non-contingent/sham brain activity in the ROI will be provided (e.g., via a thermometer bar). During resting blocks, the thermometer bar remains static.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-10-08
• Primary completion: 2027-04-30
• Completion: 2027-04-30
• First posted: 2022-07-14
• Last updated: 2026-04-06

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States