Visual and Acoustic Stimulation for Temperature Sensitivity

Overseen By Wenwen Cheng

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison

Disqualifiers: Obesity, Color blindness, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how different environments affect people's feelings and reactions to temperature changes. Participants will watch videos in rooms with slight temperature variations and report their comfort levels. The study uses visual and acoustic stimulation (sound cues) to determine if these can alter a person's thermal experience. Ideal candidates are aged 18-40, without color blindness, and have lived in or near Guangzhou, China, for at least two months. As an unphased trial, this study allows participants to contribute to innovative research on environmental effects on thermal comfort.

Do I need to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on environmental factors, so it's unlikely that medications would be a concern, but you should confirm with the trial organizers.

What prior data suggests that visual and acoustic stimulation is safe for temperature sensitivity studies?

Research shows that acoustic stimulation is generally safe. Most studies on animals and non-human primates have not found any harm, such as heat or physical damage. In humans, temperature changes from this stimulation remain very small and far below harmful levels.

Visual stimulation, like watching videos, also appears safe. Changes in the visual environment can affect how warm or cool someone feels, but no major safety concerns have been reported.

When combining visual and acoustic stimulation, studies focus on comfort levels in different settings. No significant safety issues have been noted for this combination.

Overall, current research indicates that the treatments used in this study are well-tolerated and safe. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using visual and acoustic stimulation for temperature sensitivity because these techniques offer a non-invasive way to potentially modulate how the body perceives temperature changes. Unlike traditional treatments that may involve medication or physical therapies, these methods could leverage sensory input to alter temperature perception directly. This innovative approach targets the brain's processing of sensory information, possibly leading to more immediate and customizable relief for individuals affected by temperature sensitivity.

What evidence suggests that visual and acoustic stimulation is effective for temperature sensitivity?

This trial will explore how visual and acoustic stimulation affects temperature sensitivity. Studies have shown that temperature, visuals, and sounds can influence how people perceive their surroundings. Research indicates that the type and volume of sounds can alter how warm or cold a person feels, especially in quieter places. Certain colors or images can also affect temperature perception, making individuals feel warmer or cooler. When combined, visuals and sounds can influence comfort, making environments more or less pleasant. These findings suggest that sound and visuals can impact temperature sensitivity and overall comfort. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals who are sensitive to temperature changes. Participants will be exposed to different visual and acoustic stimuli in climate-controlled settings and must provide feedback on their thermal comfort.

Inclusion Criteria

BMI between 18-27.5 kg/m²

No history of color blindness or sensory impairments

Normal chronotype (consistent sleep-wake patterns)

Exclusion Criteria

I am either under 18 or over 60 years old.

People with obesity

People with a history of color blindness

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Experimental Sessions

Participants engage in sessions in climate-controlled chambers to study the effects of temperature, visuals, and sounds on physiological measurements.

90 minutes per session

Multiple sessions (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for any delayed effects of the environmental conditions on their physiology and perception.

1 week

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Acoustic stimulation
• Combination
• Visual stimulation

Trial Overview The study investigates how visuals, sounds, and controlled temperatures affect a person's comfort and perception. It involves watching videos in two distinct environments with varying climate conditions.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Climate-controlled chamber Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Participants will be in a climate-controlled chamber. Temperature will vary by 5 degrees both warmer and colder.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,249

Recruited

3,255,000+

Citations

1. mdpi.com mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/8/1373

Thermal–Acoustic Interaction Effects on Physiological and ... Our results show that increasing temperature enhanced the perceived loudness of sound, especially when the environment was quiet. Sound type and loudness had a ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12122908/

The influence of indoor temperature and noise on autistic ... This study examines the influence of temperature and noise on autistic individuals. Conventional indoor comfort questionnaires as well as pre-validated ...

3. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06985940

Visual and Acoustic Effects of Human Thermal Comfort ... Thermal comfort will be assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) to measure perceptions of thermal sensation, preference, comfort, pleasantness, and self- ...

4. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41598-024-71784-7

Investigating the validity of the hue-heat effect on thermal ... We conducted a study focusing on the hue-heat effect within the domain of thermal sensitivity, providing a more objective measurement of thermal perception.

5. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132322000786

Effects of thermal and acoustic environments on workers' ... The purpose of this research is to study how the combined effects of thermal and acoustic environments affect psychological and physiological stress of workers ...

6. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X25003535

ITRUSST Consensus on Biophysical Safety for ... Mechanical bioeffects mainly concern the risk of acoustic cavitation, which can lead to local tissue damage such as cell death or blood vessel ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9599299/

Safety of Clinical Ultrasound Neuromodulation - PMC The majority of studies in large animals and non-human primates have not reported any signs of thermal or mechanical damage due to ultrasound stimulation. Past ...

8. e-bnr.org e-bnr.org/DOIx.php?id=10.12786/bn.2021.14.e4

Safety Review and Perspectives of Transcranial Focused ... This review aims to provide safety information and perspectives of tFUS brain stimulation. First, the acoustic parameters most relevant to ...

9. bmcneurosci.biomedcentral.com bmcneurosci.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12868-016-0303-6

Simultaneous acoustic stimulation of human primary and ... The estimated ΔT was 0.0092 °C, which was far below the thermal threshold that can derive either neurostimulatory effects or tissue damage [57, ...

10. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6649400/

Acoustic enhancement of sleep slow oscillations in mild ... Acoustic stimulation delivered during slow‐wave sleep over one night was effective for enhancing SWA in individuals with aMCI.