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Virtual Contexts for Affective Modulation
NCT06986122 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
This study investigates how spatial context and perceived controllability modulate pain, affective states such as anxiety, and motivated behavior. The study examines how control over pain and threat-related environments influences pain perception, state anxiety, associated autonomic responses, and behavior. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does having control over pain within specific contexts alter how much pain people feel-even when the stimulus intensity remains constant? How do different types of environments (safe, controllable, or uncontrollable) shape pain-related brain activity, subjective anxiety, and physiological arousal? How do people perform cognitively demanding or distracting tasks (and retain their memory) when under threat versus when in control? Lastly, how do these learned associations with spatial contexts persist or adapt when environmental contingencies are explicitly changed? Taken together, exploration of these factors may lay the groundwork for understanding how placebo-related mechanisms-including perceived control, contextual learning, emotional engagement, and distraction-interact to shape pain and anxiety in complex environments.
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- BEHAVIORAL Pain Threat Manipulation
- BEHAVIORAL Pain Controllability Manipulation
Study Locations (1)
New Hampshire
- Dartmouth College — Hanover
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 20 participants |
| Start Date | 2025-10-28 |
| Est. Completion | 2029-06-15 |
| Phase | NA |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT06986122
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT06986122 describes a study currently listed as recruiting. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 20 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is Trustees of Dartmouth College, which has 14 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 3 conditions, with Anxiety appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 2 interventions — of which Pain Threat Manipulation is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT06986122 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include New Hampshire. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT06986122 about?
NCT06986122 is a clinical study titled "Virtual Contexts for Affective Modulation". This study investigates how spatial context and perceived controllability modulate pain, affective states such as anxiety, and motivated behavior. The study examines how control over pain and threat-related environments influences pain perception, state anxiety, associated autonomic responses, and b...
What is the current status of trial NCT06986122?
This trial is currently recruiting. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 20 participants. The study started on 2025-10-28. Estimated completion is 2029-06-15.
What conditions does trial NCT06986122 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Anxiety, Memory, Pain Control. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT06986122?
The interventions under investigation include: Pain Threat Manipulation (BEHAVIORAL), Pain Controllability Manipulation (BEHAVIORAL). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT06986122?
This trial is sponsored by Trustees of Dartmouth College, which has 14 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT06986122 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across New Hampshire. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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