Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on the Excitability of the Diaphragmatic Primary Motor Cortex

Modulation de l'excitabilité Des Aires Corticales Motrices Primaires Correspondant Aux hémi Diaphragmes à l'Aide de la tDCS (Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation)

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT01548586

Enrollment

Registered

2012-03-08

Start date

2012-01-31

Completion date

2012-05-31

Last updated

2025-09-02

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Excitability of Diaphragmatic Primary Motor Cortex

Keywords

tDCS, Diaphragm, Cortical Excitability, MEPs, TMS

Brief summary

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non invasive, painless, harmless way to modulate cerebral cortex excitability. It was shown that anodal stimulation increases cortical excitability and the cathodal one decreases it (Nitsche and Paulus, 2000; Lang et al. 2004). To date, there is no data in the literature regarding the effect of tDCS on the corticodiaphragmatic pathways. This preliminary study aims to test and validate the modulating effect of tDCS on the excitability of the primary motor cortex dedicated to the hemi-diaphragms in a sample of healthy subjects, as a prelude to further large studies in patients with paretic hemi-diaphragms. Diaphragmatic motor evoked potentials will be assessed before and after applications of three different modalities of tDCS (anodal, cathodal and placebo).

Detailed description

We therefore expect to observe a significant increase of the mean values of the right hemidiaphragm's MEP's amplitudes after application of anodal tDCS compared to the baseline MEP obtained before this treatment.

Interventions

DEVICEEldith DC stimulator ( Magstim Company Ltd. UK)

Anodal tDCS: Intensity of 2 mA , during 10 min Cathodal tDCS: Intensity of 2 mA , during 10 min Placebo type tDCS: Intensity of 0 mA during 10 min

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

CROSSOVER

Primary purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

TRIPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

MALE

Age

18 Years to 35 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Right handed, * Healthy male volunteers * Aged ≥ 18 and ≤ 35 years * No history of neurological or respiratory disease * BMI (body mass index \< 30)

Exclusion criteria

* Female sex * Vulnerable people as defined in the provisions relating to biomedical researches and described in the Code of Public Health. * Recent or ongoing use of antibiotic drugs, antidepressants or psychotropic drugs. * Recent hospitalization (within 3 months). * No affiliation to a social security system.

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Change in the right side hemi-diaphragm's motor evoked potentials (MEPs) before and after applications of three different modalities of tDCS (anodal, cathodal and placebo) upon the left primary motor cortex.	Baseline MEPs (before tDCS), Post 0 MEPs (immediately after tDCS) and Post 10 MEPs (10 min after tDCS).	The facilitating effect of tDCS in Anodal stimulation mode (a-tDCS) on the excitability of the left diaphragmatic primary motor cortex would result in a significant increase of the amplitude of the right hemidiaphragm motor evoked potentials (MEPs) (obtained by Transcranial magnetic motor stimulation of the left diaphragmatic primary) after this treatment.

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026