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Aspirin Effects on Emotional Reactions

Effects of Aspirin on Emotional Reactivity, Memory, and Risk-taking

Status
Completed
Phases
Early Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04146532
Enrollment
268
Registered
2019-10-31
Start date
2019-10-08
Completion date
2022-04-15
Last updated
2024-06-03

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Healthy Adults

Keywords

Aspirin, Acetylsalicylic acid, Emotional reactivity, Memory, Risk-taking, Inflammation

Brief summary

The aim of this study is to determine whether the drug aspirin has effects on emotional reactivity, emotional memory, and risk-taking behaviors.

Detailed description

The goal of this study is to determine if aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) alters emotional reactions to emotion evoking pictures as well as memory for them. Using a double-blind parallel arm study, participants will receive either placebo or a pain-relieving dose of aspirin (500mg). One hour later they will complete 30 minutes of tasks. This will include ratings of emotional pictures and memory for them. The paradigm is similar to previous experiments done in this lab using other cyclooxygenase inhibitors: ibuprofen and acetaminophen (Durso, Luttrell, & Way, 2015; Psychological Science, https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797615570366). Risk taking on the Balloon Analogue Risk Task will also be assessed. Participants will be healthy young adult males at Ohio State University.

Interventions

DRUGAspirin 500 MG

Single 500mg aspirin capsule.

DRUGPlacebo

Single 500mg placebo capsule.

Sponsors

Ohio State University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Caregiver)

Intervention model description

Note. 135 of an originally intended 200 participants had been enrolled at the time of cessation of research activities due to COVID-19 research closures. Therefore, the intended sample was increased to 270 to allow comparison between pre-COVID and post-COVID participants.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

At least 18 years old and biologically male

Exclusion criteria

Due to the use of aspirin in this study, women will be excluded from the study due to potential negative effects it may have on pregnancy Participants will also be excluded for the following medical reasons: 1. Having an allergy to aspirin, other salicylates, or any other pain reliever/fever reducer. 2. Having or recovering from a viral infection such as the chicken pox or flu. 3. Having taken aspirin or another NSAID drug (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or others) within the last 8 hours or plan to take aspirin or another NSAID drug in the 8 hours after the end of the study. 4. Having more than three drinks of alcohol in the 8 hours after completion of the study. 5. Having asthma, hay fever, nasal polyps, or chronic respiratory disease. 6. Impaired liver/kidney or impaired cardiovascular circulation (renal vascular disease, congestive heart failure, volume depletion, major surgery, sepsis or major hemorrhagic events) 7. Active or severe liver or kidney disease. 8. An ulcer, history of ulcers or are prone to bleeding. 9. A history of blood clotting defects. 10. Severe anemia. 11. Taking any of the following drugs: A blood thinning anticoagulant (e.g. warfarin), Digoxin, An Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitor, Methotrexate, An oral glucocorticoid (e.g. hydrocortisone),Valproic Acid, A Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI; e.g. Prozac; Zoloft) 12. Have had stomach ulcers or bleeding problems. 13. Have stomach problems such as heartburn, upset stomach, or stomach pain that does not go away or reoccurs. 14. Surgery in the last week or will have a surgery in the next week. 15. High blood pressure. 16. Diabetes, gout, or arthritis. 17. Low uric acid or Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Emotional Reactivity1.5 hoursChanges in self-reported evaluations of valence on a 1 to 7 scale and felt reactions to emotional images on a 1-7 scale.
Memory1.5 hoursChanges in memory for emotional pictures. After rating the images, the participants will be shown them again as well as new pictures and asked to indicate whether they have seen the picture before or not.
Risk-Taking1.5 hoursWe will measure the adjusted average number of pumps on the Balloon Analogue Risk Task.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Individual Differences1.5 hoursSelf-reported political ideology will be examined as a moderator of the self-reported ratings of the images as well as memory for them.

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026