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Recruiting NCT04885322

Effects of PFC tDCS on Cognitive Control, Attention Lapses and Coordinated Neural Activity in the Theta and Alpha Bands

No phase Interventional Healthy

For patients and families

In plain language

An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.

What is being studied
The protocol lists: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation.
Who it may be relevant to
Registry conditions: Healthy. Basic parameters: 18 years — 50 years · All.
What needs checking
Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
Where it takes place
United States
Next step
Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →

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Overview

The purpose of this study is to better understand the neural correlates of higher-order cognition, both in the healthy brain and in schizophrenia, and to determine how these mechanisms are modulated by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) at frontal and occipital scalp sites. Testing the effects of tDCS at these scalp sites on cognitive task performance will help us understand the roles of the brain regions corresponding to these sites during higher-order cognitive processing (language comprehension, cognitive control, and related attention and memory processes). Behavioral and electrophysiological (EEG) measures will be used to assess cognitive performance. Our overarching hypothesis is that stimulating prefrontal circuits with tDCS can improve cognitive control performance, and ultimately performance on a range of cognitive tasks, as compared to stimulating a different cortical region (occipital cortex) or using sham stimulation. This study is solely intended as basic research in order to understand brain function in healthy individuals and individuals with schizophrenia. This study is not intended to diagnose, cure or treat schizophrenia or any other disease.

Interventions

  • Device Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
    In tDCS, saline-soaked electrodes are temporary affixed to the scalp and connected to a battery-powered current generator. A weak (2 mA) constant current is then briefly applied (\~20 minutes) to stimulate the targeted brain area. The targeted brain area is determined by the Study Arm.

Primary outcome measures

  • Behavioral Cognitive Control Measures on the Stroop Task [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 month]
  • EEG Cognitive Control Measures on the Stroop Task [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 month]
  • Behavioral Attention Lapse Measures on the Stroop Task [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 month]
  • EEG Attention Lapse Measures on the Stroop Task EEG Attention Lapse Measures on the Stroop Task [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 month]
  • Behavioral Cognitive Control Measures on the Change Detection Task Behavioral Cognitive Control Measures on the Change Detection Task [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 month]
  • EEG Cognitive Control Measures on the Change Detection Task [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 month]
  • Behavioral Attention Lapse Measures on the Change Detection Task [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 month]
  • EEG Attention Lapse Measures on the Change Detection Task [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 month]
  • Delivered tDCS Dose to PFC [Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 month]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

  • between ages of 18 and 50
  • ability to sufficiently speak and understand English so as to be able to understand and complete cognitive tasks
  • ability to give valid informed consent

Exclusion criteria

  • no history of head trauma
  • no current or previous history of treatment with psychotropic medication
  • corrected vision 20/30 or better
  • tDCS/MRI contraindications, including: pregnancy, ferrous metal in any part of the body, serious medical conditions, claustrophobia, metallic implants, skin damage, conditions such as eczema at electrode sites, cranial pathologies

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Allocation
Randomized
Model
Crossover
Masking
Double blind
Primary purpose
Basic science

Study locations

United States · 1 center
  • Imaging Research Center — Sacramento

Identifiers

NCT: NCT04885322 · 1344169-8

Primary sources (government registries)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗