NCT07252947NARecruitingAccepts Healthy Volunteers
Stress and Anxiety Effects on Valuation
NYU Langone Health
Start Date
12/18/2025
Completion Date
11/7/2028
Summary
The purpose of this study is to understand how stress, anxiety, and negative affect change learning and decision-making processes. The primary objective is to assess two forms of decision-making-reward adaptation and emotion prediction errors-differ as a function of stress and anxiety. The secondary objectives are to assess how individual differences measured in our studies relate to these decision variables.
Eligibility Criteria
Age Range: 18 years to 65 years
Inclusion Criteria:
Aims 1-3: To be eligible for participation in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:
* 18-65 years of age
* Able to speak, read, and write fluently in English
* Be willing and able to follow study procedures and provide informed consent.
Aim 4: To be eligible for participation in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:
* 18-65 years of age
* Diagnosis of GAD
* Able to speak, read, and write fluently in English
* Be willing and able to follow study procedures and provide informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
Aims 1-3: Individuals will be excluded from participation if any of the following criteria are met:
* History of or medication for neurologic or psychiatric disease
* High-blood pressure or heart condition
* Diabetes, food allergies, metabolic disorders or history of eating disorder
* Use of corticosteroids or beta-blockers
* Pregnancy
Aim 4: Individuals will be excluded from participation if any of the following criteria are met:
* High-blood pressure or heart condition
* Diabetes, food allergies, metabolic disorders or history of eating disorder
* Use of corticosteroids or beta-blockers
* Lifetime history of bipolar disorder or any psychotic disorder; substance use disorder in past 3 months; eating disorder in past 6 months; current major depressive disorder (past is allowed)
* Active suicidal ideation with plan and intent (indicated by score \>=4 on the Columbia Suicide Severity Scale)
* Not on stable dose of psychiatric medication for at least 4 weeks prior to study participation
* Pregnancy
Interventions
BEHAVIORAL
Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Task (SECPT)
BEHAVIORAL
Non-Stressful Control Task
Conditions
Reward Value Level
Locations
NYU Langone Health
New York, New York 10016
United States