Psychological Stress Impact on Navigation in Aging

Overseen By Scott Moffat, Ph.D.

Age: 65+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Georgia Institute of Technology

Must not be taking: Beta-blockers

Disqualifiers: Epilepsy, Dementia, Parkinson's, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

Duration: 6 months

85 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to understand how stress affects memory and navigation in healthy aging. Researchers will divide participants into two groups: one will navigate tasks with anticipatory psychological stress (also known as stress manipulation or psychological stress induction), and the other without. The study will explore how stress might cause people to rely on habits rather than planning efficient routes. It seeks adults aged 65-80 who are fluent in English and can attend sessions at Georgia Tech. Those with conditions like epilepsy, dementia, or untreated diabetes are not eligible.

As an unphased study, this trial offers participants the opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research on aging and stress.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but it excludes those taking medication affecting the cardiovascular system, like beta-blockers. It's best to discuss your specific medications with the trial coordinators.

What prior data suggests that this protocol is safe?

Research has shown that stress affects the body in various ways. For instance, stress can accelerate cellular aging by shortening telomeres, which act as protective caps on DNA ends. It can also increase inflammation, linked to numerous health issues.

In this trial, the stress is anticipatory, involving the expectation of a stressful event rather than direct experience. Studies have examined how this type of stress affects individuals, such as increasing reliance on habits over careful planning in certain situations.

Overall, psychological stress is considered safe in controlled research settings like this one. Researchers closely monitor participants to manage any discomfort. While stress can have significant effects over time, the type used in this study is not expected to cause harm in the short term. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores how anticipatory psychological stress affects navigation in aging, which is a relatively uncharted area. Unlike traditional treatment approaches that focus on pharmacological interventions or cognitive training to support navigation skills in older adults, this trial investigates the impact of psychological stress, specifically the anticipatory threat of shock, on cognitive tasks. By understanding this relationship, researchers hope to uncover new insights into how stress affects cognitive processes, potentially leading to innovative strategies to enhance navigation and cognitive resilience in aging populations.

What evidence suggests that anticipatory psychological stress is effective for studying navigation in aging?

This trial will compare the effects of psychological stress on navigation skills in aging. Research has shown that stress significantly impacts aging, particularly memory and navigation skills. For older adults, sudden stress might hinder tasks requiring quick thinking or strategy changes. Studies have found that stress can lead older adults to rely on less effective habits rather than using memory to plan better routes. Consequently, stress might impair the ability to think ahead and adapt to new situations. These findings highlight stress's impact on the brain's ability to process and respond to information in older adults. Participants in this trial will perform tasks either under manipulated psychological stress or without stress manipulation, allowing for a direct comparison of these effects. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Thackery I Brown, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Georgia Institute of Technology

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for U.S. citizens or permanent residents aged 65-80 who speak fluent English and can visit Georgia Tech for group sessions. It's not for those with metal/electrical implants, heart issues, certain medications like beta-blockers, epilepsy, dementia, Parkinson's disease, history of stroke/seizure, psychiatric disorders including untreated depression or emotional conditions, ADD/ADHD, MS, uncontrolled blood pressure issues, untreated diabetes or sickle cell anemia.

Inclusion Criteria

I am between 65 and 80 years old.

willing to come to Georgia Tech to participate in group testing sessions

U.S. citizens or permanent residents

Exclusion Criteria

I don't have metal implants, heart issues, or take heart medication.

I do not have any conditions like epilepsy, dementia, or untreated depression that could affect my thinking.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Assessment

Participants undergo baseline assessments including neuroimaging and behavioral measures

2 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Participants are assigned to stress-manipulated or control groups and perform virtual navigation tasks

6 months

Multiple visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for neural and behavioral outcomes post-treatment

4 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Anticipatory psychological stress

Trial Overview The study examines how stress affects memory and navigation in aging adults by assigning them to a stressed group or control group during a novel navigation task. Using neuroimaging and behavioral measures under stress-induced conditions versus normal circumstances will reveal the impact on spatial memory and route planning abilities.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Stress group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants in this group will perform the psychology tasks (virtual navigation) under manipulated psychological stress (anticipatory threat of shock)

Group II: No-stress control group Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants in this group will perform the psychology tasks (virtual navigation) without any manipulation of psychological stress

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Georgia Institute of Technology

Lead Sponsor

Trials

53

Recruited

5,600+

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Collaborator

Trials

1,841

Recruited

28,150,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

About 19% of older adults experienced at least one medically serious adverse medical event (AME), with a higher risk among those in poorer health and with more comorbidities, indicating a need for targeted monitoring and prevention strategies.

Experiencing an AME significantly increased Medicare expenditures during and after the event, and was associated with a lower survival rate, as only 55% of those with an AME survived to the end of the study compared to nearly 80% of those without an AME.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Investigating the long-term consequences of adverse medical events among older adults. Carter, MW., Zhu, M., Xiang, J., et al.[2014]

Psychological stress significantly impacts the elderly, leading to anxiety, insecurity, and depression, which can hinder their overall well-being.

The review highlights that the cellular and molecular mechanisms of psychological stress are not well understood, yet they play a crucial role in compromising healthy aging.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Molecular consequences of psychological stress in human aging. Moreno-Villanueva, M., Bürkle, A.[2015]

In a study of 838 health professionals in Colombia from 2017 to 2021, 33.8% reported experiencing adverse events, with 21.91% showing medium-high emotional overload and 3.53% experiencing extreme acute stress.

The risk of developing acute stress after an adverse event was found to be significant, with a prevalence ratio of 1.30, indicating that health institutions need to address this issue to improve care capacity and support their staff.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Acute Stress in Health Workers in Colombia 2017-2021: A Cross-Sectional Study. Gonzalez Delgado, M., Cortes Gil, JD., Rodriguez Araujo, DL., et al.[2023]

A study involving 94 elderly participants showed that an educational intervention based on the PRECEDE model significantly reduced stress levels, as measured by the DASS 21 questionnaire, after eight weeks of training.

The intervention improved knowledge, attitudes, and practical skills like deep breathing and relaxation techniques, indicating that structured educational programs can effectively help manage stress in older adults.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effectiveness of educational intervention based on PRECEDE model on the level of stress among the elderly at elderly clubs. Sharifirad, G., Ghaffari, M., Zanjani, S., et al.[2021]

The safety of psychological interventions is critical, as adverse events (AEs) can occur and must be carefully evaluated to ensure that these interventions do not cause harm before being deemed beneficial.

There is a pressing need for standardized protocols for assessing and reporting AEs in psychological interventions to improve transparency, consistency, and ultimately enhance clinical practice.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Editorial: Primum non nocere - are adverse events accurately reported in studies on psychological interventions for children? Purgato, M., Cortese, S.[2023]

In a survey of 2,895 nurses across 115 hospitals in Iran, 29.1% reported experiencing adverse events in the past six months, highlighting a significant issue in patient safety.

The study found that occupational stress and cognitive failure are linked to higher rates of adverse events, with specific stressors like role and interpersonal relations being significant predictors, suggesting a need for interventions to reduce these stressors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Occupational stress and cognitive failure of nurses and associations with self-reported adverse events: A national cross-sectional survey. Kakemam, E., Kalhor, R., Khakdel, Z., et al.[2020]

In a study of 212 older adults aged 58 to 103, optimism was found to significantly mediate the relationship between perceived stress and psychological health, indicating that a positive outlook can help buffer the effects of stress.

Perceived control over internal states also played a crucial role, mediating the relationships among stress, optimism, and psychological health, suggesting that enhancing these factors could improve psychological adjustment in older adults facing stress.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Interrelations of stress, optimism and control in older people's psychological adjustment. Bretherton, SJ., McLean, LA.[2015]

In a survey of 874 older adults, 20.3% reported experiencing adverse drug events (ADEs), with stronger concerns about medications and more reported symptoms significantly linked to these events.

Interestingly, the use of inappropriate medications was not significantly associated with self-reported ADEs, suggesting that patients' beliefs and concerns about their medications may play a more critical role in their experiences of side effects.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Concerns and beliefs about medicines and inappropriate medications: An Internet-based survey on risk factors for self-reported adverse drug events among older adults. Shiyanbola, OO., Farris, KB.[2013]

A study involving 240 adults aged 25-65 found that anticipating stress in the morning negatively impacts spatial working memory performance later that day, regardless of actual stress experienced throughout the day.

This effect of stress anticipation on cognitive function was consistent across all age groups, suggesting that managing stress anticipation could help improve cognitive performance, especially in older adults.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Waking Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed: The Effects of Stress Anticipation on Working Memory in Daily Life. Hyun, J., Sliwinski, MJ., Smyth, JM.[2020]

Psychological stress has a significant and lasting impact on the aging process, potentially accelerating epigenetic aging, which is measured by DNA methylation and serves as a biomarker for aging.

While some evidence suggests that epigenetic aging may be modifiable through interventions, further research is needed to explore the preventability or reversibility of these changes and their clinical implications.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Editorial Perspective: Psychological stress and epigenetic aging - what can we learn and how can we prevent? Zannas, AS.[2017]

Research from the Berlin Aging Study, which followed men and women aged 70-100, indicates that chronic health-related stressors significantly impact the daily lives of older adults, leading to a decline in psychological functioning.

The study suggests that prolonged stress can result in a distress syndrome that correlates with decreased well-being and increased mortality in the elderly.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Stress and aging: theoretical and empirical challenges for interdisciplinary research. Smith, J.[2019]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7400286/

The Link between Chronic Stress and Accelerated Aging - PMC People exposed to chronic stress age rapidly. The telomeres in their cells of all types shorten faster. Inflammation is another important feature of stress.

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306453023000896

Adult age differences in the psychophysiological response ... The present study contributes by investigating age differences in both the psychological and physiological responses to acute stress.

3. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2021.632141/full

Resilience and Psychobiological Response to Stress in ... We aimed to investigate the role of the use of active or passive coping strategies by resilient people in dealing with stressful situations.

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8085052/

Effects of acute stress on cognition in older versus younger ... We found that older adults performed worse on all aspects of cognitive flexibility compared to younger adults after an acute stress task.

5. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/353421446_Stress_coping_and_aging

(PDF) Stress, coping, and aging Older adults may use more proactive and anticipatory coping in order to avoid stressors. Coping efficacy also tends to be stable across time, ...

6. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159122001477

Stress-induced biological aging: A review and guide for ... Exposure to chronic adverse conditions that activate a neurobiological stress response has been associated with increased risk for morbidity and mortality ( ...

7. pnas.org pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1704428114

Stress promotes generalization of older but not recent ... Stress broadly affects the ability to regulate emotions and may contribute to generalization of threat-related behaviors to harmless stimuli ...

8. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3322317/

Stress appraisals and cellular aging: A key role for ... Exaggerated anticipatory threat appraisals may be a common and modifiable psychological mechanism of psychological stress effects on cellular aging. Keywords: ...

9. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/325855077_Daily_Stressor_Forecasts_and_Anticipatory_Coping_Age_Differences_in_Dynamic_Domain-Specific_Processes

Age Differences in Dynamic, Domain-Specific Processes The extant literature on stressor forecasting is mixed on age or race differences in mental health outcomes, but we draw on the anticipatory ...