Sensory Stimulation During Simulated Driving

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of three specific odors on simulated driving performance. It is hypothesized that the presence of peppermint, rosemary, and zest/pulp will increase memory recall for navigation and improve reaction times for braking, compared to performance during unscented conditions

Detailed Description
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This study will examine the effect of scented odors on the attention and behavioral performance of healthy young adult and older adult drivers. Past research indicates that specific scented odors (i.e., peppermint and cinnamon) enhance motivation, performance and alertness, decrease fatigue and stimulate the central nervous system in a variety of contexts. The current study will examine the effect of three different odors on simulated driving as participants perform navigation and braking scenarios. This study will be the first of its kind to elucidate the association between specific scents and performance gains in simulated driving. The data will serve as proof-of-concept for eventual patient focused interventions relative to sensory stimulation and driving.

Official Title
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Sensory-based Stimulation to Increase Alertness and Behavioral Performance During Simulated Driving

Conditions
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Behavior

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Fragrance


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: valid drivers license normal or corrected to normal vision Exclusion Criteria: no drivers license hyperopic vision without contact lenses history of congenital or acquired cognitive, ophthalmologic, or neurological disorders including developmental delay, brain tumor, stroke, or known peripheral or central vestibular disorders participants who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) will be excluded Participants will also be excluded if they have: (a) a history of skin irritation or sensitivity to scented products or cosmetics, (b) known skin allergies, sensitive skin or allergies to fragrance, (c) suffers from a cold, allergy, sinus condition or any other condition that might interfere with their sense of smell and (d) is pregnant or nursing. Participants will also be excluded if they smoke or use tobacco related products participants will be excluded if they commonly experience motion sickness

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 24 Years
Maximum Age: 85 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Other
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Driving performance no fragrance<br>healthy young (ages 24-35 years) and older (ages 60-85 years) with no fragrance | |
| Experimental: Driving performance Fragrance<br>healthy young (ages 24-35 years) and older (ages 60-85 years) with fragrance | Other: Fragrance<br>* peppermint, rosemary, and zest/pulp will increase memory recall for navigation and improve reaction times for braking, compared to performance during unscented conditions<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Navigation Assessment | The navigation task will consist of up to six blocks of instruction/recall segments that will contain the same number of turns over the same distance, but with novel environmental stimuli and a randomized order of turns unique to each block. | 30 minutes | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Braking Assessment | a virtual stop sign will appear suddenly in the middle of the visual field. The participant will be instructed to come to a stop as quickly as possible and to remain stopped until the stop sign disappears | 15 minutes | 
| Workload and mood assessment | participants will be asked to rank their perceived mental, physical, and temporal demands in combination with their performance, effort and frustration | 5 minutes | 
| Scent assessment | A short fragrance questionnaire will be given after each study session, in order to ensure that participants are able to distinguish between non-scented and scented conditions | 5 minutes |