Brain scans reveal Stress's hidden impact

NCT ID NCT05591404

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study looks at how experiencing social stress changes brain activity in healthy adults. Fifty participants will either undergo a stressful public speaking and math task or a calm activity before having their brains scanned with fMRI. The goal is to see if stress alters brain activation patterns, which could help scientists better understand stress-related conditions.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Trier Social Stress Test (a public speaking and mental arithmetic task)

What this could lead to

If successful, this study could help researchers understand how stress changes brain activity, which may inform future treatments for stress-related disorders.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-stage study in healthy volunteers, so results may not apply to people with mental health conditions. The stress test may cause temporary discomfort.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    RECRUITING

    Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••