Reward Sensitivity and Stress Vulnerability: A pilot study.

The primary aim of this study is to validate the paradigms designed to investigate the effects of social stress and social
reward, using healthy individuals. 30 healthy volunteers will be recruited to participate in a single study session lasting approximately 2 hours. Each session will consist of two computerized behavioural experiments, a brief neuropsychological assessment and a number of questionnaires. In order to assess the subjective and objective effects of stress and reward, participants will be asked to periodically fill out a brief questionnaire while chewing on a cotton salivette. The salivettes collect saliva samples that will later be used for analyses of the hormone cortisol. Following the study session, participants will be asked to continue filling out brief questionnaires using a portable electronic device for the duration of 1.5 days.

In order to validate the implementation and efficacy of a novel combination of a reward-learning and stress-processing paradigms, we conduct a computerized behavioural pilot study using healthy volunteers. In the reward-learning paradigm, the main study parameter is the difference between percentage choices of the rewarding stimulus over time. In both the ostracism paradigm and the social stress paradigm, the main study parameter is the change in the subjective and objective stress levels from baseline to endpoint.

One timepoint.

N/A