Brain Metabolism of Sensory Signals in Healthy Subjects

Overseen By Christin Y Sander, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital

Must not be taking: Neurological, psychiatric medications

Disqualifiers: Cardiovascular disorders, Diabetes, Glaucoma, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how the brain uses glucose and oxygen to process unexpected sensory signals. Researchers employ special imaging techniques to observe these processes in real-time. Participants will view a series of images and hear spoken words to assess the brain's reaction to predictable and unpredictable, as well as attended and unattended, stimuli. The trial seeks right-handed adults fluent in English, without severe asthma or major medical issues. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research on brain function and sensory processing.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial excludes people who are currently using medications that affect brain function, so you may need to stop taking such medications to participate. However, the protocol does not specify a washout period.

What prior data suggests that this behavioral intervention is safe?

Research has shown that the sensory activities in this trial are generally safe. No reports indicate harmful effects from listening to sequences of spoken words or viewing images, which are the trial's focus.

Other studies have examined unexpected sensory experiences and found no serious negative reactions. In this trial, participants will engage in everyday activities like looking at faces or listening to words—tasks most people perform daily without issues.

The trial aims to understand how the brain responds, not to test new drugs. Therefore, there are no concerns about drug side effects, making the trial activities safe and manageable. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores how our brains process sensory signals using a unique method involving simultaneous visual and auditory stimuli. Unlike standard treatments that might focus on medications or therapies targeting specific brain functions, this approach uses a combination of facial and spoken word stimuli to understand brain metabolism in a naturalistic setting. This trial could provide new insights into how we process complex sensory information, potentially leading to breakthroughs in understanding brain function and improving cognitive therapies.

What evidence suggests that this trial's behavioral intervention could be effective for understanding brain metabolism of sensory signals?

Research shows that processing sensory information is crucial to interacting with the world. Specifically, the ability to notice, understand, and react to sensory experiences can influence learning and behavior. This trial will investigate these processes by presenting participants with a simultaneous sequence of faces and spoken words. Studies have found that unexpected or ignored sounds can disrupt how the brain manages sensory information. This disruption can affect the ability to stay engaged and focused, especially regarding sounds. Understanding these effects can help develop better ways to handle sensory challenges. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Christin Y Sander, PhD

Principal Investigator

Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for right-handed, English-speaking adults aged 21-35 with no MRI or PET scan contraindications. Excluded are those with kidney/liver issues, severe past COVID-19, major head trauma, certain chronic conditions, smokers, BMI over 35, and those who can't consent or lie still in a scanner.

Inclusion Criteria

I am between 21 and 35 years old.

No contraindications to MRI or PET scanning

Right-handed

Exclusion Criteria

I have a tumor in my brain.

Body mass index above 35

I cannot stay still during scans.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Imaging and Behavioral Intervention

Participants undergo hybrid PET/fMRI imaging and complete a behavioral intervention with predictable and unpredictable stimuli

2 sessions

2 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after imaging and intervention

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• (Un)predictable and (un)attended stimuli

Trial Overview The study uses hybrid PET/fMRI imaging to observe how the brain's glucose and oxygen metabolism responds to unpredictable sensory signals. It aims to understand the metabolic processes during such cognitive tasks.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Behavioral intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Subjects are presented with a simultaneous sequence of faces and spoken words. Face stimuli include a representative sample of realistic faces across a range of ages. Spoken word stimuli are simple nouns spoken by a single female speaker.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Massachusetts General Hospital

Lead Sponsor

Trials

3,066

Recruited

13,430,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9688399/

Sensory Processing Disorders in Children and Adolescents Sensory processing disorders (SPDs) can be described as difficulty detecting, modulating, interpreting, and/or responding to sensory experiences.

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273229722000272

Understanding sensory regulation in typical and atypical ... Sensory regulation, the ability to select and process sensory information to plan and perform appropriate behaviours, provides a foundation for learning.

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8430329/

Implications of Sensory Processing and Attentional ... A large body of previous research has shown that auditory stimuli to have the greatest negative impact on engagement and/or educational ...

4. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41598-025-05393-3

The impact of sensory integration based sports training on ... This study evaluated the effects of a 12-week sensory integration-based sports training program on motor and social outcomes in children with ASD.

5. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/322402052_Sensory_processing_sensitivity_and_childhood_quality's_effects_on_neural_responses_to_emotional_stimuli

(PDF) Sensory processing sensitivity and childhood ... This study examined the neural correlates of adult sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) and its interaction with subjective ratings of quality of childhood ...

6. magazine.ucsf.edu magazine.ucsf.edu/unbearable-sensation-being

The Unbearable Sensation of Being | UCSF Magazine Sensory Processing Disorder, or SPD, causes some children to find everyday stimuli excruciating. Scientists are finally shedding light on ...

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301051122000096

The effects of unpredictability and negative affect on ... This study examined the effects of (unpredictable) bodily threat on perception and neural gating of respiratory and somatosensory stimuli.

8. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/5/636

Sensory Responsive Environments: A Qualitative Study on ... This qualitative study explored the perceived relationships between outdoor built environments and sensory sensitivities, focusing on autism, ADHD, and ...

9. cpdonline.co.uk cpdonline.co.uk/knowledge-base/mental-health/sensory-overload/

Understanding Sensory Overload | Key Insights Explained Explore sensory overload and its impact on daily life with these seven fascinating insights for better management and understanding.