Social Experiences for Immune Response

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Sarah E Hill, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Morgan State University

Disqualifiers: Non-Black, Non-White, Non-Hispanic, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

480 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Cyberball in the clinical trial titled 'Social Experiences for Immune Response'?

Research suggests that social support and psychosocial interventions can enhance immune function and potentially improve disease outcomes. Studies have shown that social interactions and stress-reducing activities can boost immune responses, which might be relevant to the Cyberball treatment's focus on social experiences. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does the Cyberball treatment differ from other treatments for immune response?

Cyberball is unique because it involves social interaction through a virtual game, which may influence immune response by engaging social and psychological factors, unlike traditional treatments that focus on biological mechanisms. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

What is the purpose of this trial?

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases are a health burden for approximately seven percent of the population of Western nations. Preliminary data suggest variations in ethnic identity and/or geography influence discrimination experiences and inflammatory response trends. This study investigates how geography, ethnicity, and laboratory manipulation of discrimination experiences affect immune cell function and genomic regulation. Flow cytometry and immune cell stimulation will test monocytes collected from peripheral blood for functional effects. Next-generation transcriptomics and epigenomics will assess genomic and epigenetic mechanisms. The hypothesis is that geography, self-identified race, and ethnicity, interacting with laboratory discrimination conditions during the virtual ballgame Cyberball™, significantly affect immune cell function through genomic and epigenetic mechanisms, with perceived discrimination as a moderating factor on the immune outcomes. The transdisciplinary nature of the proposed study aims to provide valuable insights into differential susceptibility to immune-mediated inflammatory diseases across diverse populations. Uncovering these insights will better inform population-relevant interventions for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for Non-Hispanic Black, White, or Hispanic adults over 18 living/working near Morgan State University, The University of Baltimore, or Texas Christian University. It studies how discrimination experiences affect immune function.

Inclusion Criteria

I am Non-Hispanic Black, Non-Hispanic White, or Hispanic.

I live, work, or study near Morgan State, Univ. of Baltimore, or Texas Christian Univ.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Assessment

Participants complete surveys and provide saliva and blood samples before the first Cyberball sequence

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Experimental Manipulation

Participants play Cyberball under different conditions to manipulate discrimination experiences, followed by blood and saliva sample collection

1-2 hours

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for immune response and complete additional surveys after the second Cyberball sequence

1-2 hours

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Cyberball

Trial Overview The study uses a virtual ballgame called Cyberball to simulate discrimination and examines its impact on immune cells through blood tests and advanced genetic analysis. It aims to understand how race, ethnicity, and location influence immunity.

Participant Groups

Group I: Southwest Non-Hispanic White Order 1 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants play Cyberball™ with virtual players who appear non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic. The participant receives the ball once during the game, while all the non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic avatars will pass the ball back and forth with each other many times. After completing surveys and providing saliva and blood samples, participants play Cyberball, in which they receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of their ethnicity. During this round, participants play cyberball with virtual players who do not have any noticeable ethnic differences from them. The participant again only receives the ball once during the entire game, while the other avatars that look similar to them pass the ball back and forth with each other several times. After completing surveys and providing blood samples, participants receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the different avatars, regardless of ethnicity.

Group II: Southwest Non-Hispanic Black Order 1 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants play Cyberball™ with virtual players who appear to be non-Hispanic White. The participant only receives the ball once during the entire game, while all the non-Hispanic White avatars will pass the ball back and forth with each other many times. After completing surveys and providing saliva and blood samples, participants play Cyberball, in which they receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of their ethnicity. During this round, participants play cyberball with virtual players who do not have any noticeable ethnic differences from them. The participant again only receives the ball once during the entire game, while the other avatars that look similar to them pass the ball back and forth several times. After completing surveys and providing blood samples, participants receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of their ethnicity.

Group III: Southwest Hispanic White Order 2 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants play Cyberball with virtual players who do not have any noticeable ethnic differences from them. The participants only receive the ball once during the entire game, but avatars that look similar to them pass the ball back and forth with each other several times. After completing surveys and providing saliva and blood samples, participants play Cyberball again but receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of the avatars' ethnicity. Participants play another session of Cyberball™ with virtual players who appear to be non-Hispanic White. The participant receives the ball once during the game, while all the non-Hispanic White avatars will pass the ball back and forth with each other many times. After completing surveys and providing blood samples, participants again play Cyberball but receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of the avatars' ethnicity.

Group IV: Southwest Hispanic Order 1 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants play Cyberball™ with virtual players who appear to be non-Hispanic White. The participant only receives the ball once during the entire game, while all the non-Hispanic White avatars will pass the ball back and forth with each other many times. After completing surveys and providing saliva and blood samples, participants play Cyberball, in which they receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of their ethnicity. During this round, participants play Cyberball with virtual players who do not have any noticeable ethnic differences from them. The participant again only receives the ball once during the entire game, while the other avatars that look similar to them pass the ball back and forth several times. After completing surveys and providing blood samples, participants receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of their ethnicity.

Group V: Mid-Atlantic: Non-Hispanic White Order 1 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants play Cyberball™ with virtual players who appear non-Hispanic Black, or Hispanic. The participant receives the ball once during the game, while all the non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic avatars will pass the ball back and forth with each other many times. After completing surveys and providing saliva and blood samples, participants play Cyberball, in which they receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of their ethnicity. During this round, participants play cyberball with virtual players who do not have any noticeable ethnic differences from them. The participant again only receives the ball once during the entire game, while the other avatars that look similar to them pass the ball back and forth several times. After completing surveys and providing blood samples, participants receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of their ethnicity.

Group VI: Mid-Atlantic: Non-Hispanic Black Order 1 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants play Cyberball™ with virtual players who appear to be non-Hispanic White. The participant only receives the ball once during the entire game, while all the non-Hispanic White avatars will pass the ball back and forth with each other many times. After completing surveys and providing saliva and blood samples, participants play Cyberball, in which they receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of their ethnicity. During this round, participants play cyberball with virtual players who do not have any obvious ethnic differences from them. The participant again only receives the ball once during the entire game, while the other avatars that look similar to them pass the ball back and forth with each other a number of times. After completing surveys and providing blood samples, participants receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of their ethnicity.

Group VII: Mid-Atlantic Hispanic Order 1 Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants play Cyberball™ with virtual players who appear to be non-Hispanic White. The participant receives the ball once during the game, while all the non-Hispanic White avatars will pass the ball back and forth with each other many times. After completing surveys and providing saliva and blood samples, participants play Cyberball, in which they receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of their ethnicity. During this round, participants play Cyberball with virtual players who do not have any noticeable ethnic differences from them. The participant again only receives the ball once during the entire game, while the other avatars that look similar to them pass the ball back and forth several times. After completing surveys and providing blood samples, participants receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of their ethnicity.

Group VIII: Mid-Atlantic: Non-Hispanic Black Order 2 Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants play Cyberball with virtual players who do not have any noticeable ethnic differences from them. The participants only receive the ball once during the entire game, but avatars that look similar to them pass the ball back and forth with each other several times. After completing surveys and providing saliva and blood samples, participants play Cyberball again but receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of the avatars' ethnicity. Participants play another session of Cyberball™ with virtual players who appear to be non-Hispanic White. The participant only receives the ball once during the entire game, while all the non-Hispanic White avatars will pass the ball back and forth with each other many times. After completing surveys and providing blood samples, participants again play Cyberball but receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of the avatars' ethnicity.

Group IX: Mid-Atlantic: Non-Hispanic White Order 2 Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants play Cyberball with virtual players who do not have any noticeable ethnic differences from them. The participants only receive the ball once during the game, but avatars that look similar to them pass the ball back and forth with each other several times. After completing surveys and providing saliva and blood samples, participants play Cyberball again but receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of the avatars' ethnicity. Participants play another session of Cyberball with virtual players who appear to be non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic. The participant receives the ball once during the game, while all the non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic avatars will pass the ball back and forth with each other many times. After completing surveys and providing blood samples, participants again play Cyberball but receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of the avatars' ethnicity.

Group X: Mid-Atlantic Hispanic Order 2 Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants play Cyberball with virtual players who do not have any noticeable ethnic differences from them. The participants only receive the ball once during the entire game, but avatars that look similar to them pass the ball back and forth with each other several times. After completing surveys and providing saliva and blood samples, participants play Cyberball again but receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of the avatars' ethnicity. Participants play another session of Cyberball™ with virtual players who appear to be non-Hispanic White. The participant only receives the ball once during the entire game, while all the non-Hispanic White avatars will pass the ball back and forth with each other many times. After completing surveys and providing blood samples, participants again play Cyberball but receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of the avatars' ethnicity.

Group XI: Southwest Non-Hispanic Black Order 2 Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants play Cyberball with virtual players who do not have any noticeable ethnic differences from them. The participants only receive the ball once during the entire game, but avatars that look similar to them pass the ball back and forth with each other several times. After completing surveys and providing saliva and blood samples, participants play Cyberball again but receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of the avatars' ethnicity. Participants play another session of Cyberball™ with virtual players who appear to be non-Hispanic White. The participant only receives the ball once during the entire game, while all the non-Hispanic White avatars will pass the ball back and forth with each other many times. After completing surveys and providing blood samples, participants again play Cyberball but receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of the avatars' ethnicity.

Group XII: Southwest Non-Hispanic White Order 2 Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants play Cyberball with virtual players who do not have any noticeable ethnic differences from them. The participants only receive the ball once during the entire game, but avatars that look similar to them pass the ball back and forth with each other several times. After completing surveys and providing saliva and blood samples, participants play Cyberball again but receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of their ethnicity. Participants play another session of Cyberball with virtual players who appear to be non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic. The participant only receives the ball once during the entire game, while all the non-white avatars will pass the ball back and forth with each other many times. After completing surveys and providing blood samples, participants again play Cyberball but receive the ball from virtual players an equal number of times as the other avatars, regardless of the avatars' ethnicity.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Morgan State University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

7

Recruited

5,600+

Texas Christian University

Collaborator

Trials

31

Recruited

4,400+

University of Maryland, Baltimore

Collaborator

Trials

729

Recruited

540,000+

University of Baltimore

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

480+

Findings from Research

In a study of 50 women with breast cancer, higher stress levels before chemotherapy were linked to a greater risk of infections during treatment, highlighting the importance of managing stress in this population.

Social support, particularly from romantic partners and friends, was found to buffer the negative effects of stress on infection risk, suggesting that emotional support can play a crucial role in the health of women undergoing chemotherapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Stress-buffering effect of social support on immunity and infectious risk during chemotherapy for breast cancer. Roy, V., Ruel, S., Ivers, H., et al.[2022]

Social support, such as marriage and close friendships, may help protect against cancer progression by buffering the negative effects of stress on the immune system.

While some studies show promising results for psychosocial interventions in improving cancer outcomes, the evidence is mixed, indicating that more research is needed to fully understand their impact on disease progression.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of psychosocial treatment in prolonging cancer survival may be mediated by neuroimmune pathways. Spiegel, D., Sephton, SE., Terr, AI., et al.[2019]

Psychologically induced immunoenhancement, a less studied area in psychoneuroimmunology, shows that interventions like relaxation training and positive mood can boost immune functions, particularly enhancing phagocytosis and T cell responses.

Various emotional and psychosocial factors may also contribute to immunoenhancement, suggesting that psychological well-being can play a significant role in modulating immune responses.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Interactions between the immune system and the psyche]. Mayr, B., Mayr, A.[2011]

Submissive mice in a social hierarchy exhibit increased anxiety-like behaviors and decreased immune function, which may make them more susceptible to diseases like melanoma, highlighting the impact of social status on health.

Dominant and submissive mice respond differently to immune challenges, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), with dominant mice showing reduced social interactions and sickness behaviors, suggesting that social rank influences how animals prioritize their responses to illness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Behavior: a relevant tool for brain-immune system interaction studies. Costa-Pinto, FA., Cohn, DW., Sa-Rocha, VM., et al.[2009]

In a study of 45 geriatric residents, those who underwent relaxation training showed a significant increase in natural killer cell activity and a decrease in distress and antibody levels to the Herpes simplex virus, indicating improved immune function.

The findings suggest that psychosocial interventions, like relaxation training, can enhance cellular immunocompetence in older adults, while social contact alone did not produce significant changes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Psychosocial enhancement of immunocompetence in a geriatric population. Kiecolt-Glaser, JK., Glaser, R., Williger, D., et al.[2019]

Children developed a stronger friendship with a physical robot compared to a virtual avatar, indicating that physical presence may enhance emotional connections.

The perceived similarity between the robot and avatar positively influenced children's friendship with the avatar, which in turn increased their motivation to use a diabetes self-management app and improved its usability.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Friendship with a robot: Children's perception of similarity between a robot's physical and virtual embodiment that supports diabetes self-management. Sinoo, C., van der Pal, S., Blanson Henkemans, OA., et al.[2019]

In a study involving 51 groups of three humans and one social robot, it was found that when the robot made vulnerable statements, human participants communicated more with each other and had a more positive perception of their group dynamics.

The results suggest that the way a robot interacts can significantly influence human-to-human communication, indicating that social robots can be used to enhance social interactions in group settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Vulnerable robots positively shape human conversational dynamics in a human-robot team. Traeger, ML., Strohkorb Sebo, S., Jung, M., et al.[2023]

The Baxter Research Robot successfully learned and participated in bimanual hand-clapping games with human partners, achieving a high motion classification accuracy of 97.0% in a controlled setting and 85.9% in a more dynamic environment with 24 participants.

Participants reported feeling safe and enjoyed interacting with Baxter, indicating that the robot's ability to engage in social-physical interactions positively influenced their experience and willingness to collaborate with it.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Teaching a Robot Bimanual Hand-Clapping Games via Wrist-Worn IMUs. Fitter, NT., Kuchenbecker, KJ.[2021]

A computer biofeedback game was developed to teach deep relaxation to 40 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and most participants achieved deeper relaxation after just four 30-minute sessions, indicating the game's effectiveness in promoting relaxation.

About 50% of patients reported that using the relaxation technique during symptom flare-ups helped reduce their overall and bowel-specific symptoms, and 64% continued to use the technique long-term, suggesting its potential as a sustainable management strategy for stress-related disorders.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Computerised biofeedback games: a new method for teaching stress management and its use in irritable bowel syndrome. Leahy, A., Clayman, C., Mason, I., et al.[2022]

Social robotics focuses on creating robots that engage in caring interactions with people, differing from traditional robotics that emphasizes mechanical tasks in various industries.

Current applications of social robots are mainly in children's toys and devices designed to comfort the elderly and handicapped, highlighting their role in enhancing emotional well-being rather than performing physical tasks.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A review of recent research in social robotics. Sheridan, TB.[2021]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Stress-buffering effect of social support on immunity and infectious risk during chemotherapy for breast cancer. [2022]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of psychosocial treatment in prolonging cancer survival may be mediated by neuroimmune pathways. [2019]

3. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Interactions between the immune system and the psyche]. [2011]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Behavior: a relevant tool for brain-immune system interaction studies. [2009]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Psychosocial enhancement of immunocompetence in a geriatric population. [2019]

6. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Friendship with a robot: Children's perception of similarity between a robot's physical and virtual embodiment that supports diabetes self-management. [2019]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Vulnerable robots positively shape human conversational dynamics in a human-robot team. [2023]

8. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Teaching a Robot Bimanual Hand-Clapping Games via Wrist-Worn IMUs. [2021]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Computerised biofeedback games: a new method for teaching stress management and its use in irritable bowel syndrome. [2022]

10. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A review of recent research in social robotics. [2021]