Linked Outcomes in Various EEG-Hyperscanning Setups

Conditions

• Brain to Brain Communication

Eligibility Criteria

Sex

ALL

Age

20 Years - 60 Years

Healthy Volunteers

Accepted

Study Details

The goal of this observational study is to investigate how brains of healthy controls respond when they interact with their romantic partner compared to when they interact with a stranger. The main goals are: * Explore how two people's brains interact with each other by recording brain activity at the same time (a method called "hyperscanning") using electroencephalography (EEG). Using hyperscanning, this study will compare brain-to-brain communication in romantic couples versus strangers, both when they are together in person and when they are interacting remotely. * Test a computational model that will help explain how this brain-to-brain communication works, using real data from the brain activity EEG recordings. * Explore whether factors such as age, gender, how aware people are of their own body sensations, and their level of attachment influence brain-to-brain communication. Researchers will compare brain-to-brain communication in romantic couples versus strangers, both when they are together in person and when they are interacting remotely to see which factors effect brain-to-brain communication. Enrolled participants will: * Complete a consent visit with their romantic partner where they will sign a consent form and have their pain sensitivity assessed. * Fill out sets of questionnaires assessing their romantic relationship, their personality, and other traits. * Complete two EEG scans, one with their romantic partner and one with a stranger. At both scans they will conduct a pain task, a communication task, and a light stimulation task.

Key Dates

Start date

Dec 12, 2025

Status verified

Jan 2026

Primary completion

Dec 31, 2026

Completion

Mar 31, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment

40 participants (estimated)

Arms

• Arm: Romantic Pair
  Two people involved in a romantic relationship for longer than 1 year. This is a cross-sectional study in which every subject will complete the experiment in both conditions, once with their romantic pair, and once with a randomly assigned stranger. Therefore, participants will complete one EEG with their romantic pair, and one EEG with a stranger. The order of the EEG scans and the cross-over will be randomized.
• Arm: Stranger Pair
  Two people who have never seen each other before the EEG visit. This is a cross-sectional study in which every subject will complete the experiment in both conditions, once with their romantic pair, and once with a randomly assigned stranger. Therefore, participants will complete one EEG with their romantic pair, and one EEG with a stranger. The order of the EEG scans and the cross-over will be randomized.

Primary Outcome Measure

Inter-Brain Connectivity (IBC) [ Time Frame: 1 year ]

Central Contacts

• Lara Gardiner
  617-952-6483
  [email protected]
• Alessandra Anzolin, PhD
  [email protected]

Locations (1)

Find similar trials in Charlestown, MA