Understanding how emotions and time influence decision-making in the brain
Official title: Lateral Prefrontal Organization in Emotion: Representational and Causal Mechanism - Duration Difference Estimation
Run by University of California, Santa Barbara · NCT06276400 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is trying to see how our feelings and the timing of events affect the way our brains make decisions by using brain scans on healthy volunteers.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 45 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of California, Santa Barbara Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Santa Barbara, California) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 29, 2024 |
| Main results expected | March 31, 2028 |
| Study ends | March 31, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | May 4, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06276400 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates for this study are healthy, right-handed individuals aged 18 to 45 who are fluent in English and have normal vision.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with a history of psychiatric or neurological disorders, or those with contraindications for MRI, will not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study investigates how specific brain regions, particularly the lateral frontal pole and mid-lateral prefrontal cortex, integrate emotional and temporal information to guide goal-directed actions. Healthy participants will undergo functional MRI (fMRI) scans while viewing sequences of emotional images, designed to manipulate the duration and emotional valence of the stimuli. The study aims to identify neural patterns that reflect how the brain processes emotional events over time and informs appropriate responses. By employing advanced analysis techniques, the researchers hope to uncover the neural mechanisms underlying emotion-duration integration.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of emotional processing and decision-making, potentially leading to improved interventions for emotional regulation.
How similar studies have gone: While the integration of emotional and temporal information in the brain is a relatively novel area of investigation, similar studies have shown promising results in understanding emotional processing.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * right-handed * between the ages of 18 and 45 * be a fluent English speaker * have normal to corrected-to-normal vision. Exclusion Criteria: * if they report a current or prior diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder requiring hospitalization and/or are currently using psychiatric medication; o If they report a history of or current neurological disease (i.e., stroke, concussion, epilepsy, major head trauma, complicated migraine); * If they ever had a seizure; * If they have a family history of epilepsy or seizure disorders; * If they have a history of fainting; * If they are sleep deprived (TMS only); * If they have a history of prior surgery with metal clips, implants, devices, prosthetics, cardiac or neural implants (e.g., pacemaker; neurostimulator), or cochlear implants; * If they are unable to safely and comfortably complete an MRI: have metal in the body, recent surgery, presence of surgically implanted devices not cleared for MRI, extreme claustrophobia, if they report tattoos of the head or neck region, non-removable metal piercing anywhere on the body * Women will be asked to self-report their pregnancy status and have the option to take a pregnancy test if they wish. If there is a chance a participant is pregnant, they will not be scanned. * As part of the newly adopted UCSB BIC prescreening procedure, participants will be asked about their history of hearing issues (including loss, hyperacuity, sensitivity to loud noises, history of tinnitus (ringing in ears), job with high noise exposure, and chronic migraines. Participants will be excluded if one or more hearing issues are reported.
Where it's running
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University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Regina Lapate, Ph.D. — University of California, Santa Barbara
- Study coordinator: Mengsi Li, M.S.
- Email: mengsi.li@ucsb.edu
- Phone: 805-837-5206
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.