fMRI in Blood Phobia Syncope

Vanderbilt University

Overview

We plan to study patient who faint in response to the sight of blood and compare them to healthy subjects who do not. We are going to use a special type of MRI scan (functional MRI) to determine if there are differences in brain activation in response to seeing bloody or gory pictures that occur before the fainting occurs.

Another aim of the study is to determine whether or not differences in personality traits among people with blood phobia is associated with differences in BOLD signal responses during fMRI.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Conditions

Syncope Blood Injury Phobia Autonomic Dysfunction

Interventions

fMRI ScanPROCEDURE

Subjects will undergo a functional MRI scan of the head lasting \~45 minutes. They will be repeatedly shown video clips of blood, other disgusting things, or are neutral.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 30 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * 18-30 years of age * 1\. History of at least one syncopal episode upon exposure to viewing blood (Case Group) * Negative urine pregnancy test on study day Exclusion Criteria: * Vasoactive medications (within 2 weeks of study day) * antihypertensives * beta blockers * vasoconstrictors * Psychotropic medications (within 4 weeks of study day) * History of psychostimulant or opiate use * History of alcohol, benzodiazepine or cannabis abuse or dependence

Locations (1)

Vanderbilt University Autonomic Dysfunction Center

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

fMRI BOLD signal

Time frame: Immediate

Secondary Outcomes

Blood Injection Symptoms Scale

Time frame: Single visit

Disgust Scale (Revised)

Time frame: Single Visit

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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