Understanding how healthy individuals make decisions and how aging affects this process
Official title: A Non-interventional Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Study on the Neural Bases of Decision-making in Healthy Individuals
Run by Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SpA · NCT05774834 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how healthy people make decisions and how getting older affects that process by checking their brain activity and behavior.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 60 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 150 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SpA Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Pavia, Ita) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | November 10, 2018 |
| Main results expected | April 30, 2027 |
| Study ends | October 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | May 8, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT05774834 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates for this study are healthy individuals who meet the inclusion criteria and can comply with study requirements.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with a history of substance abuse, those on psychoactive medications, or individuals with contraindications for MRI scans may 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 observational study aims to explore the neural mechanisms behind decision-making and executive functioning in healthy individuals, particularly focusing on how these processes are influenced by aging. Participants will undergo behavioral assessments and fMRI sessions to evaluate brain activity, structural morphology, and connectivity related to decision-making. The study seeks to identify specific neural correlates of aging effects on executive functioning, especially inhibitory control, and to understand the relationship between behavioral and neural changes as individuals age. By examining these factors in a controlled environment, the study hopes to provide valuable insights into cognitive processes that may decline with age.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could enhance our understanding of cognitive aging and inform strategies to maintain decision-making abilities in older adults.
How similar studies have gone: While studies on decision-making and aging exist, this specific approach combining behavioral assessments with multimodal fMRI is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy participants, as determined by screening assessments and principal investigator judgment * The participant must be able to comply with study requirements as judged by the principal investigator Exclusion Criteria: * Any history of alcohol and/or drug abuse, addiction or suspicion of regular consumption of drugs of abuse * Use of any psychoactive medication, or medications known to have effect on central nervous system (CNS) or blood flow * Any contraindications for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans or any brain/head abnormalities restricting MRI eligibility
Where it's running
-
Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SpA
Pavia, Ita, Italy Recruiting
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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.