Dynamic Neural Systems Underlying Social-emotional Functions in Older Adults

Summary

Assess the impact of a remote, app-delivered digital meditation intervention on emotional well-being of lonely older adults. Neuroimaging, electrophysiological (EEG), and autonomic physiology will be used to assess the neural correlates of the intervention. EEG and autonomic physiology will be collected while participants watch 30 min of an awe-inspiring movie. fMRI and autonomic physiology will be collected in the context of a social exploration/exploitation task.

Conditions

• Loneliness
• Older Adults
• fMRI
• Emotions
• EEG
• Digital Intervention
• Meditation

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

intervention

the digital meditation app will be installed on participants iPad or android. Lonely older adults will use the app five days a week for six weeks total. Neuroimaging will be performed before and after the intervention.

BEHAVIORAL

waitlist control

Participants in the waitlist group will have to wait six weeks after being screened before being able to use the meditation app after the assessment of primary and secondary endpoints

OTHER

No Interventions

No intervention. Only baseline fMRI and EEG assessment.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute on Aging (NIA)

  collaborator NIH

• University of California, San Francisco

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Lorenzo Pasquini, PhD · University of California, San Francisco

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

60 Years

Max Age

120 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-10-13

Primary Completion

2025-12-28

Completion

2026-07-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations