Linked Outcomes in Various EEG-Hyperscanning Setups

Recruiting now

Conditions studied: Brain to Brain Communication

In brief

The goal of this observational study is to investigate how brains of healthy controls respond when they interact with their romantic partner compared to when they interact with a stranger. The main goals are: * Explore how two people's brains interact with each other by recording brain activity at the same time (a method called "hyperscanning") using electroencephalography (EEG). Using hyperscanning, this study will compare brain-to-brain communication in romantic couples versus strangers, both when they are together in person and when they are interacting remotely. * Test a computational model that will help explain how this brain-to-brain communication works, using real data from the brain activity EEG recordings. * Explore whether factors such as age, gender, how aware people are of their own body sensations, and their level of attachment influence brain-to-brain communication. Researchers will compare brain-to-brain communication in romantic couples versus strangers, both when they are together in person and when they are interacting remotely to see which factors effect brain-to-brain communication. Enrolled participants will: * Complete a consent visit with their romantic partner where they will sign a consent form and have their pain sensitivity assessed. * Fill out sets of questionnaires assessing their romantic relationship, their personality, and other traits. * Complete two EEG scans, one with their romantic partner and one with a stranger. At both scans they will conduct a pain task, a communication task, and a light stimulation task.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07385027

Run by

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

People needed

40

Starts

2025-12-12

Expected to finish

2027-03-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-02-03

Who can join

Age: 20 and older, up to 60. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Healthy volunteers in a romantic partnership for at least 6 months.
• 20-60 years of age
• Ability to fully understand and consent to study procedures.
• Fluent in English
• Are on stable doses of medication for 30 days prior to entering the study and agree not to change medications or dosages during the trial.

You may not qualify if…

• Presence of any contraindications to EEG scanning.
• Illicit drug or opioid use.
• Epilepsy, seizures provoked by lights or a prior history of seizures.
• Presence of any illness that is judged to interfere with the trial. For example: severe psychiatric disorders according to the DSM-IV manual.
• Current chronic pain conditions.
• Unwillingness to be audio recorded.
• Unwillingness to receive brief experimental pain on the lower left leg.
• Unwillingness to withhold from consuming marijuana 48 hours prior to scans.
• Unwillingness to withhold from consuming nicotine 4 hours prior to scans.
• Any impairment, activity, or situation that in the judgment of the Study Coordinator or Principal Investigator would prevent satisfactory completion of the study protocol.

Where it is running

• Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital — Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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