Chronotype Alignment and Time Perception (NCT07677111) | Clinical Trial Compass
RecruitingNot Applicable
Chronotype Alignment and Time Perception
Hong Kong240 participantsStarted 2025-09-01
Plain-language summary
People differ in chronotype - whether they function best in the morning ("larks") or the evening ("owls"). This study asks whether the match or mismatch between a person's chronotype and the time of day at which they are tested changes how they perceive time.
Healthy morning-type and evening-type adults at three sites (Aarhus, Denmark; Changzhou, China; and Hong Kong) complete the same battery of perception and cognition tasks twice - once in the early morning (about 08:00) and once late in the evening (about 22:00), in counterbalanced order. The primary outcome is the accuracy (signed bias) of time-perception judgements; the key comparison is the interaction between chronotype and time of day (the "synchrony effect").
Secondary measures include timing precision, the subjective passage of time, sleepiness, mood, colour perception (with and without blue-blocking glasses) and perceptual decision-making. By testing the same protocol across three cultures and latitudes, the study examines whether circadian match/mismatch effects on temporal cognition generalise across populations.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 55 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Healthy adult, 18-40 years
* Clear morning-type or evening-type on the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ-SA); intermediate types excluded (state exact cut-offs, e.g. evening-type 41 or below, morning-type 59 or above)
* Normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity
* Normal colour vision (e.g. Ishihara screening)
* Fluent in the testing-site language (Danish, Chinese, or English)
* Able to attend both an early-morning (about 08:00) and a late-evening (about 22:00) session
Exclusion Criteria:
* Intermediate chronotype (MEQ in the middle band)
* Night or rotating shift work in the past 3 months, or recent trans-meridian travel (more than 2 time zones in the past 4 weeks)
* Diagnosed sleep disorder (e.g. insomnia, sleep apnoea)
* Current psychiatric or neurological disorder
* Use of sleep medication or psychoactive or CNS-active drugs
* Colour-vision deficiency
* Substance-use disorder
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Time-perception bias measured by the two-alternative forced-choice duration-comparison point of subjective equality
Timeframe: Each of two laboratory sessions, morning about 08:00 and evening about 22:00, completed within about 2 weeks.