Brief Stresses Study

STUDY BASICS

Are you a healthy adult aged 20-59? If so, you may be eligible to participate in a research study to help learn more about the impact of stress on DNA damage and repair across a diverse range of people. Especially needed now are participants who identify as African American or Black, and/or who are daily cigarette smokers. Open to daily smokers and non-smokers. Compensation provided.

STUDY PURPOSE

Most people experience stress from time to time due to concerns about family, health, relationships, or work. Some research suggests that stress can damage a person’s DNA—the material in each cell that allows the body to function. Although the body is typically able to repair DNA damage, repeated occurrences of DNA damage and repair may increase a person’s risk for developing certain health problems over time.

The purpose of this study is to better understand the impact of brief stress on DNA damage and repair. Researchers also want to find out if physical, lifestyle, and behavioral factors are related to differences in stress responses, and if those responses can be changed by taking a single dose of a commonly used high blood pressure medication called propranolol. Researchers hope their findings may lead to new ways to prevent DNA damage in the future.

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

• Ages 20-59
• Weigh at least 110 pounds
• Have not used illicit drugs in the past month
• Have not used nicotine-containing products other than cigarettes in the past month (participants who use vapes, e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookahs, chewing tobacco, nicotine patches, etc. are not eligible)
• Have never been diagnosed with cancer (other than basal cell skin cancer), COPD, heart disease, high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis (MS), or severe traumatic brain injury
• Not currently diagnosed with asthma, diabetes, major depression, bipolar depression, an anxiety disorder, or schizophrenia

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

Participation involves an initial phone call to find out if you may be eligible to participate in the study. If eligible after the telephone call, you will be scheduled for a screening visit that will include a brief health assessment, urine tests, blood work, and a set of psychological interviews. Some screening procedures will be done remotely.

Participants who are still eligible after the screening visit will complete several questionnaires and attend two more study visits. During the study visits, participants will complete additional questionnaires, provide blood and saliva samples, and complete tasks. At one study visit, participants will be randomly assigned (like the flip of a coin) to receive either a single dose of propranolol (a beta blocker commonly used to treat high blood pressure) or placebo (an inactive medication).