Neural Mechanisms of Tactile Priming on Social Perceptions - Pilot Study

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The investigators measure brain responses of healthy participants while they perform evaluation tasks inside the fMRI. For each task the participants were primed with tactile stimuli. Results should demonstrate engagement of sensorimotor brain regions after priming, hence confirming embodiment theories.

Detailed Description
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Brain responses of healthy participants were recorded with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). While being scanned participants were asked to recommend punishments similar to judges or juries for perpetrators across different scenarios. In addition, participants were primed before reading the scenario by using different materials. Based on recent theories about embodied cognition and extralegal factors investigators hypothesize that those primes may influence the harshness of punishments recommended by the participants. If those processes engage sensorimotor cortices, the results would strongly support theories of embodied cognition. The results would help the investigators to understand the neural correlates of priming processes. These unconscious complex processes of perception may be important for hospital patients. Thus, beneficial haptic experiences during the hospital stay may contribute to successful recovery.

Official Title
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Neural Mechanisms of Tactile Priming on Social Perceptions - Pilot Study

Conditions
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Healthy

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: male or female healthy participants age 18 - 40 years Exclusion Criteria: cardiac pacemaker metallic implants ferromagnetic parts in / at the body tatoos vessel surgery tinnitus epilepsia claustrophobia pregnancy

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 40 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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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Healthy participants<br>Male or female healthy participants | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sensorimotor brain activation | The primary objective of this study is to examine neural correlates for embodied cognitions. We use an fMRI-approach to test if healthy participants are prone to non-conscious tactile priming effects during evaluation processes. Investigators measure the outcome by examining BOLD Response in the sensorimotor cortices (Maximum Peak in Primary somatosensory Cortex, SI). BOLD Responses will be analyzed using the Software SPM 8. | The participantes will be followed up for the duration of fMRI-scan, an exspected average of 1 hour | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Systematic changes for evaluation processes | 1. We examine if tactile priming leads to systematic behavioral changes for evaluation processes. During the fMRI participants were asked to read scenarios and subsequently perform evaluation processes on a likert scale 0 to 5 (0 = mild punishment; 5 = hard punishment) . | The participants will be followed up for the duration of fMRI-scan, an exspected average of 1 hour | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Social perceptions