Emotion Regulation and Cognition Research Study

A research study aimed to develop better interventions for emotion regulation and depression in adults.

Fast Facts

Ages 55-79

Diagnosed with Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Mild Cognitive Impairment, or Early Stage Alzheimer's Disease

OR no history of any mental health diagnosis​

Compensation Provided

Conducted in
Belmont, MA

Study Background

We are interested in understanding emotion regulation in people with and without current or past history of depression, and how this changes during later in life among individuals aged 55-79.

This study investigates potential moderators (sex, depression chronicity and severity) and executive function skills in relation to emotion processing skills. The overarching goal of this study is to gain a comprehensive understanding of emotion processing skills, with a primary focus on emotion regulation, among aging individuals to pave the way for the development of an intervention that seeks to optimize emotion regulation in older depressed people as primary therapy target. 

The aim is to develop a treatment that can be personalized based upon important predictors of emotion processing skills, specifically biological sex, depression severity and chronicity, and executive functioning skills.

Study Background

We are interested in understanding emotion regulation in people with and without current or past history of depression, and how this changes during later in life among individuals aged 55-79.

This study investigates potential moderators (sex, depression chronicity and severity) and executive function skills in relation to emotion processing skills. The overarching goal of this study is to gain a comprehensive understanding of emotion processing skills, with a primary focus on emotion regulation, among aging individuals to pave the way for the development of an intervention that seeks to optimize emotion regulation in older depressed people as primary therapy target. 

The aim is to develop a treatment that can be personalized based upon important predictors of emotion processing skills, specifically biological sex, depression severity and chronicity, and executive functioning skills.

Additional Information

This study investigates potential moderators (sex, depression chronicity and severity) and executive function skills in relation to emotion processing skills. The overarching goal of this study is to gain a comprehensive understanding of emotion processing skills, with a primary focus on emotion regulation, among aging individuals to pave the way for the development of an intervention that seeks to optimize emotion regulation in older depressed people as primary therapy target. 

The aim is to develop a treatment that can be personalized based upon important predictors of emotion processing skills, specifically biological sex, depression severity and chronicity, and executive functioning skills. 

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.maca-lab.com/emotion-regulation-in-depression- and-the-aging-brain

Adults between 55 and 79 years old without dementia are eligible.

Participation involves some virtual and some in-person visits, as well as a follow-up visit in two years.

Participants take part in an interview to gather information about medical and psychiatric history, a physical exam, blood draw, cognitive testing, a functional MRI scan, and questionnaires. Some parts of this study can be performed virtually, and we are enrolling participants at McLean Hospital, Mass General Brigham who are unable to attend in-person visits at this time due to the pandemic.

In total, you have the opportunity to earn up to $275 for participation in this study.

There is no cost for you to participate in our research study.