Childhood trauma may rewire Brain's pleasure from scents
NCT ID NCT06284382
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looks at how early-life trauma changes the way the brain releases dopamine when smelling pleasant odors. Researchers will use brain scans to compare 15 adults with a history of trauma and 15 without. The goal is to understand the link between trauma, smell perception, and brain chemistry.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help explain how early trauma changes brain chemistry and odor perception, pointing toward new ways to understand trauma's effects.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage observational study with only 30 participants. It measures brain activity, not a treatment, so direct benefits are unlikely. Results may not apply to everyone.
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
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Apr 2026
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 30 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: * Aged 18 years or older * Have been selected based on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire score * Non-smoker * Be able to speak and read French * Sign a consent form before intervention. Exclusion Criteria: * A pre-existing condition that affects olfaction including congenital anosmia, upper respiratory tract infection, nasal and/or sinus disease, * Be on medication, with the exception of oral contraceptives * Pregnant or breast-feeding woman (check with urine pregnancy tests); * Contraindications to TMS or MRI (implanted medical devices or metallic foreign body in the head); * Psychiatric disorders * Use of psychotropic drugs * Have participated in a study involving the injection of a radiotracer during the year
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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CH le Vinatier
RECRUITINGBron, 69500, France
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