Now enrolling! Seeking volunteers 18-30 and 50-65 years old for a two-day stress and aging study.
Stress and Aging Study Description
The main purpose of this study is to examine whether short instances of stress can increase or decrease the naturally occurring biomarkers that behave abnormally in Alzheimer’s disease. Stress exposure has been linked to increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease, but we do not know whether single stressful events increase the production of these biomarkers. In this study, you may be asked to complete a stressful task, a non-stressful task, or both in order to measure changes of these biomarkers in your blood.
Key Study Details
- Must attend 2 in-person full-day lab visits at least 1 week apart.
- Lab visits are full days (8am-5pm) and will take place on weekdays only.
- Must be comfortable providing blood, saliva, and urine samples.
What to expect
Duration: 2 full-day visits at least 1 week apart. Visits are scheduled according to your availability.
Description: Each visit will last one full day (8am-5pm) and you will complete some questionnaires and provide small blood, saliva, and urine samples before and after tasks which might induce stress.
Note: We will use an indwelling catheter for the blood draws, meaning you will only need to be poked with a needle one time at each visit. All blood draws will then be collected through the catheter and the catheter removed at the end of the day.
Scheduling: Lab visits will take place on weekdays during standard business hours.
Location: All lab visits will take place at the USC Health Sciences Campus.
Payment: You may earn up to $300 upon study completion. If you travel from an off-site location, a USC parking pass will be pre-paid and reserved for you.
You may be eligible if you:
- Are a healthy adult between 18-30 or 50-65 years old
- Are fluent in English
- Weigh at least 110 pounds (minimum weight for blood draws)
- Can provide blood samples via an IV line
- Have good heart health
- Have good cognitive health (i.e. no cognitive impairment)
- Can complete a short stressful task
- (Females only) Are non-pregnant and non-lactating