Health TrialsbyHealthPanel

The FACIAL Study Pilot

ConditionHealthy Adult
Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot listed
Trial typeObservational
Biological sexAll
Age18-35
SponsorLancaster University

About this trial

Facial recognition is a non-invasive method for analysing facial characteristics and changes in facial expressions. There is evidence to suggest there may be a link between physiological health and facial expression patterns. Many medical conditions are associated with specific facial characteristics, with some related to inherited genetic conditions and others that have been acquired as a result of medical conditions such as stroke, nerve injuries and dementia. If successful, this technology could prove useful for studies evaluating the monitoring of acute or chronic illness. The proposed study will ask participants to do a maximal exercise test that will challenge the body, as a proof-of-principle, to see how this correlates with facial expressions. Depending on the study outcomes and future work, it could prove to be a useful tool and clinical application in healthcare for evaluating and tracking patient health and well-being. The investigators want to conduct a proof-of-principle study where physically stressed young and healthy participants (in the form of a maximal exercise test), whilst recording facial expressions, will be used to determine the relationship between physiological stress and changes in facial parameters.

Eligibility criteria

This trial accepts healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Aged 18 to 35

Male or female

Capable of completing a maximal exercise test

Answer "NO" to all variables in the Physical Activity Readiness questionnaire (PAR-Q)

Disqualifiers

Musculoskeletal injury

Cardiovascular disease

Neurological disease, stroke, or other disease that may affect facial expressions

Trial population

Healthy participants from the general public, inlcuding students and staff from the university.

Trial design

Design model

Cohort

Time perspective

Cross-sectional

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Maximal Exercise Test

    Other intervention

    Healthy participants will be situated on a cycle ergometer fitted with a 12-lead ECG or chest-strap heart rate monitor. Data from the questionnaire will be stored in a study site file in a locked cabinet in an office. Baseline readings will be obtained whilst on the bike for 3 minutes before the subject embarks on a 3-minute warm-up at 50 Watts (W). The workload (watts) on the bike is then increased to a workload that corresponds to a heart rate of 120 bpm (gentle exercise). The workload will then be increased by 25-50W every three minutes until volitional exhaustion. Between each stage, there will be a 30s rest period where the participant will be cycling with minimal resistance ("freewheeling") but will be otherwise stationary on the cycle ergometer. Still images of the face and facial video recordings will be taken during a 30s rest period between increases in exercise intensity. A finger-prick blood sample (glucose \& lactate) will be taken at the beginning and every 3 minutes.

Treatment groups

No treatment groups listed

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Change in distance between facial features

Change in inter-feature distance (e.g., between eyes, mouth corners) during different phases of exercise, captured using video and still images to detect facial regions and landmarks. Unit: millimetres (mm).

Time frame
60 minutes
2

Change in size and shape of facial features

Change in facial feature dimensions (e.g., width and height of eyes, mouth) and geometric shape indices during different phases of exercise. Additionally, captured using video and still images to detect facial regions and landmarks. Units: millimetres² or shape index (unitless).

Time frame
60 minutes
3

Change in facial blood flow patterns

Regional blood flow variation across facial regions during exercise, captured through thermal imaging. Unit: perfusion units or arbitrary units (a.u.)

Time frame
60 minutes
4

Change in facial temperature

Alterations in surface temperature across facial regions during exercise, measured with thermal imaging. Units: degrees Celsius (°C)

Time frame
60 minutes

Secondary outcomes

1

Change in heart rate

Heart rate is recorded at rest, during exercise, and during recovery. Units: Beats per minute (bpm)

Time frame
60 minutes
2

Change in heart rate variability (HRV)

Analysis of time and frequency domain HRV indices during different exercise stages. Units: Milliseconds (ms)

Time frame
60 minutes
3

Change in blood glucose

Blood glucose levels are recorded at rest, during exercise, and recovery. Unit: millimoles per litre (mmol/L)

Time frame
60 minutes
4

Change in Blood Lactate

Blood lactate recorded at rest, during exercise, and recovery. Units: millimoles per litre (mmol/L)

Time frame
60 minutes

Other outcomes

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

Lancaster University

Lead sponsor

University of Central Lancashire

Collaborator

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Collaborator

Source ClinicalTrials.gov

This trial is not recruiting at the moment. You can still explore other options: