Meervoudige Chemische Overgevoeligheid Multiple Chemical Sensitivity or Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance
Conditions
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
Universiteit Utrecht
Eligibility
Age
18 Years to 99 Years
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Students who are 18 years or older, are generally healthy, do not have a psychiatric condition or anxiety disorder, epilepsy, heart condition, a pacemaker, who are not pregnant or possibly pregnant, have a good (self-reported) sense of smell, no severe allergies, no asthma, and no scores of 4 or higher on 3 or more items of the modified Chemical Intolerance Index (which is indicative of MCS), will be accepted into the study. Participants who have a severe cold or the flu at the moment of the lab visit will be rescheduled.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: Students who are younger than 18 year, who are not generally healthy, who have a psychiatric condition or anxiety disorder, who have either epilepsy, or a heart condition, or a pacemaker, who are pregnant or possibly pregnant, have a bad (self-reported) sense of smell, who have severe allergies, or asthma, or scores of 4 or higher on 3 or more items of the modified Chemical Intolerance Index (which is indicative of MCS), will be not accepted into the study. In addition, participants who have a severe cold or the flu at the moment of lab visit will not be included in the experiment that same day.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The CS is the presentation of an odor with a duration of 6 seconds. The US is an electrical shock, delivered 500 ms to the fingers, presented directly following the CS+. Per condition, 25 participants will be tested (N = 50 in total). As dependent variable, the electrodermal response will be measured via electrodes attached to two fingers. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| As a secundary physiological measures heart rate frequency as a second indicator of phsyiological arousal assessed via a clip on one finger of the hand, and sniffing behavior, via the assessment of air presssure differences through a cannula in the nose, will be investigated during each phase of the experiment. Evaluation of odor intensity and odor pleasantness will be completed after each odor presentation by means of Visual Analogue Scales (VAS), to investigate how odor evaluation develops during the expected classical conditioning process. Explicit expectation of the shock will be assessed by means of a VAS on expectation for both odors. Finally, questionnaires will be administered containing questions about demographics, general health, and neuroticism. | — |
Countries
Netherlands
Outcome results
None listed