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Pen and paper power: UCLA study tests if writing boosts brain health in seniors

NCT ID NCT05524597

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 15, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This UCLA study is looking for healthy adults aged 65 and older to see if writing about their experiences can affect their brain and body. Over 6 weeks, participants will write once a week and complete online surveys. They will also visit UCLA twice for brain scans, blood tests, and questionnaires. The goal is to understand how expressive writing might influence stress, social connections, and inflammation.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 1

The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.

Participants

About 200 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Mar 2023

Expected to finish

Dec 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

65 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy adults age 65 years and older Exclusion Criteria: 1. current smokers 2. active, uncontrolled medical disorders 3. chronic infection (e.g., Hepatitis C, HIV) 4. use of certain medications (steroid use, opioid use) 5. psychiatric disorders (e.g., current major depression, bipolar disorder) 6. body mass index (BMI) greater than 35 7. left-handed 8. claustrophobic 9. metal in body Other exclusion criteria may apply.

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As listed by the trial registrant

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

Social psychology

How to take part

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  2. The official record

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Center for Cognitive Neuroscience

    RECRUITING

    Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States

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