May 07, 2026
Active Escape (Stasiak et al., 2026) Protocol
- Joanne Stasiak1
- 1University of California, Santa Barbara
- ActiveEscape_Stasiak
Protocol Citation: Joanne Stasiak 2026. Active Escape (Stasiak et al., 2026) Protocol. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.n2bvj1qenvk5/v1
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: February 09, 2026
Last Modified: May 07, 2026
Protocol Integer ID: 242887
Keywords: protocol for the active escape task, active escape, active escape task, control in the lateral frontal pole, integrated representations of threat, lateral frontal pole, control, protocol, threat, integrated representation
Funders Acknowledgements:
Scott Grafton
Grant ID: ASAP-020-519
Regina Lapate
Grant ID: MH134000
Abstract
This is the protocol for the Active Escape task, conducted by Stasiak and colleagues, and referenced in the manuscript "Integrated Representations of Threat and Control in the Lateral Frontal Pole."
Participant Preparation
Invited participants will arrive to the UCSB Brain Imaging Center (BIC) to fill out their consent forms and the MRI screening form.
"In this study, you will be completing a computerized behavioral task in which you will occasionally be prompted to make motor responses. This task will involve the use of electrical stimulation, or shocks, which will be calibrated to your personal tolerance level. Some of these shocks will be perceptible,while other shocks will be quite unpleasant, however they will not exceed the level that will be predetermined from your personal calibration.
In the task, you will sometimes be making motor responses using a joystick to avoid receiving these shocks.
Before we begin, we have a consent form for you to read and sign; this will provide some more information about what you’ll be doing today, but I will give you much more detailed information in a little bit. If you agree to participate, please sign and date the last page.
If you have any questions, please let us know!"
Following informed consent and approval of the participant's MRI eligibility, the participant is instructed to change into MRI-safe scrubs (provided by the BIC) and remove all metal from their body. Participants also apply MRI-safe earplugs.
The researcher then brings the participant into the magnet room and positions them on the bed of the magnet bore.
Shock Calibration
The shock calibration is done when the participant is on the bed of the MRI.
"We’re going to first place the sensors for the shocks; two sensors will be placed on the underside of your right wrist. The sensors are quite sticky and we will also be applying gel to them to make sure we get clean signals. "
Use two EL509 dry sensors. Place a pea sized drop of the electrode gel from the BLUE squeeze bottle on each electrode. Then place on the participant’s RIGHT UNDERSIDE of the WRIST
Peel off sensor and place upside down (so the sticky part is facing up). Squeeze gel into the middle green circle.
(put the sensors on the participant & push down on them to make sure they’re secure).
"Now you will be completing the calibration for the perceptible and unpleasant shocks you will be receiving during the main task. You will be completing each of these calibrations twice, so we will first do the perceptible calibration, then the unpleasant calibration. Then, we will send you into the scanner and we will do the perceptible calibration one more time, and the unpleasant calibration one more time.
For the perceptible calibration, the goal is to find a level of shock that is detectable, but not at all unpleasant. In the calibration, you will receive one shock, and then you will be asked two questions. First, was the shock reliably detectable - in other words, would you know you received a shock, and second, was the shock at all unpleasant.
You will be able to use the buttons on the front of your joystick to answer these questions. For both of those questions, the left button (show them) represents ‘Yes’ and the right button represents ‘No’.
If you respond that a shock was reliably detectable, but not unpleasant, the calibration will end there. If you say that a shock was not detectable, the intensity will increase slightly and then you will be asked again. If you say that a shock was unpleasant, the intensity will decrease and you will be asked again.
Do you have any questions?
After that, we’ll do the calibration for the unpleasant shock. This is going to be very similar, but you will only be asked one question - which is, was the shock as unpleasant as you are willing to tolerate. If you respond yes, the calibration will end there, but if you say no, the calibration will continue and the shock intensity will gradually increase until you find the intensity that is as unpleasant as you are willing to tolerate. I want to emphasize that this is intended to be an aversive thing that you will want to avoid and escape from during the task.
I know this was a lot of information, so I will go over those instructions again, but first, you will need to see the projector screen for the calibration, so we will be putting on a big plastic helmet over your head; it has a mirror attached so you will be able to see the projector behind you. We will also be putting pads next to your head to help you stay as still as possible during the main task. "
Now, do the shock calibration - mild shocks will be provided first and then gently incremented until participants say they are reliably detectable, but not at all unpleasant. Then, the unpleasant shocks will be calibrated such that shock intensity will be increased until participants report the shock is as unpleasant as they can tolerate.
"Awesome job! Now you will be doing each of those calibrations again, but this time we are going to send you inside of the scanner. The procedure for the perceptible and the unpleasant shocks will be exactly the same as before, but now you will be starting off with the shocks you decided on in the first calibrations. Do you have any questions?"
Scan Sequence
1st Localizer Scan: Localizer (<30sec)
"The first scan is going to be 15 seconds long. Are you ready?"
T1: (6 min)
"The next scan is going to be about 6 minutes long. Please stay as still as possible during this time. Do you have any questions before we begin? Great! Here we go."
2nd Localizer Scan: GRE neuro Localizer (<30sec)
"The next scan is going to be about 2 minutes long. Again, try to stay as still as possible. Here we go!"
Tilt the box to include the cortex, can cut off some of the cerebellum if needed - try to stay on the ACPC line.
EPIs - Runs 1 - 7
"Okay__, we are about to start the main task now! The first scan is going to be about 8 minutes long. As a reminder, please stay as still as possible during the scan, and if you ever need to talk to us or if you ever feel uncomfortable, you can use the squeeze ball."
Check in after every chunk
"Hi ____ how are you doing? You’re doing a great job! We are going to start another chunk of trials soon. Are you ready to begin? Great! As a reminder, please stay as still as possible during the task. Thank you!"
Active Escape Task
During each EPI, the participant will complete one run of the Active Escape task. The task is ran through a Python script (included in the OSF/Zenodo repositories).
In this task, participants will view an 18-second countdown on the screen, and then will be prompted to make a brief (< 1s) motor response using a handheld MRI-safe joystick. Depending on the trial type and their motor performance, the participant may or may not receive an electric shock. Shocks were manipulated orthogonally, such that a shock may be Unpleasant or Mild, and Controllable or Uncontrollable. The unpleasantness of a shock (Unpleasant vs Mild) corresponds to the shock calibration performed prior to the task.
In Controllable trials, participants will be able to prevent a shock from occurring if they make a successful motor response within the allotted time. In Uncontrollable trials, participants will receive a shock regardless of their motor performance.
Participants complete 7 runs of the Active Escape task; researchers will check in with the participant following each run.
Participant Debrief
Remove participants from the MRI chamber properly; detach all the electrodes.
"Thank you so much for your participation in this study! Our experiment aims to uncover neural circuitry involved in emotion-modulated motor responding, with significance for Parkinson's research."