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

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial examines how social experiences and background might influence the immune system. It uses a virtual ballgame called Cyberball, a computer-based social interaction game, to study how experiences of discrimination (unfair treatment) interact with immune responses. Specifically, it investigates how individuals from different ethnic backgrounds and regions respond to these experiences. Those who identify as non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White, or Hispanic and reside near specific universities may be suitable for this study. Understanding these interactions could lead to better treatments for immune-related conditions. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research that could enhance future healthcare strategies.

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 prior data suggests that the Cyberball technique is safe for participants?

Research has shown that the Cyberball task, used in this trial, has been widely studied in various situations. Studies have found that it can cause social stress, but no evidence indicates harm or danger to participants. For instance, one study observed people playing Cyberball and noted changes in heart rate and blood pressure, but reported no harmful effects. Social stress is a normal reaction and doesn't cause lasting harm. Therefore, the Cyberball task is generally considered safe and well-tolerated in research settings. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores how social experiences can influence immune responses, which is a relatively new area of study. Unlike traditional treatments that directly target physiological symptoms, this trial uses a virtual game called Cyberball™ to investigate the psychological and social factors that might affect immunity. By examining how different social interactions, like being included or excluded by avatars of different ethnic backgrounds, impact biological markers in participants, researchers hope to uncover insights into the mind-body connection. This could open up innovative pathways for enhancing immune function through social interventions.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases?

Research shows that playing Cyberball, a virtual game involving ball-tossing, can influence how the brain and body react to exclusion. In this trial, participants will encounter various scenarios of inclusion and exclusion while playing Cyberball. Studies have found that exclusion in this game increases activity in brain areas related to negative feelings and stress, such as the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, which often activates during emotional pain. One study found that being left out during Cyberball can alter the body's response, possibly affecting inflammation, which is linked to many diseases. These findings suggest that Cyberball can help researchers understand how social experiences might impact health, particularly concerning inflammation and stress response. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

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 for a Trial Participant

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)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

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.

How Is the Trial Designed?

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+

Published Research Related to This Trial

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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