Modulation of Visual-Spatial Learning in Healthy Young Adults by tDCS

Modulation of Visual-Spatial Learning in Healthy Young Adults by Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation - Proof of Principle and Mechanisms

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT02110407

Enrollment

Registered

2014-04-10

Start date

2014-03-31

Completion date

2017-05-31

Last updated

2017-07-27

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

Conditions

Healthy Young Adults

Keywords

healthy young adults, tDCS, LOCATO task, visual-spatial learning

Brief summary

The aim of this study is to investigate whether a combination of intensive training of visual-spatial abilities (LOCATO task) with anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) leads to an improvement of learning and memory in healthy young adults and to examine the underlying neuronal mechanism.

Interventions

DEVICEtDCS

transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

BEHAVIORALtraining

intensive training of visual-spatial abilities (in LOCATO task)

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

CROSSOVER

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE (Subject, Caregiver)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 35 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* right handednesss * unobtrusive neuropsychological screening * age: 18-35 years

Exclusion criteria

* severe internal or psychiatric disease * epilepsy * other severe neurological disease, e.g. previous major stroke, brain tumor * DMS-IV manifest dementia * contraindication for MRT (claustrophobia, metallic implants, tattoos)

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
performance in LOCATO task (visual-spatial learning and memory) after a combination of intensive visual-spatial training and tDCS	immediately after end of a 3 day period of training in tDCS condition vs sham condition	Investigation whether the combination of intensive visual-spatial training (LOCATO task) and tDCS leads to improvement of visual-spatial learning and memory measured by the performance in LOCATO task after end of a 3 day period of training compared to sham stimulation.

Secondary

Measure	Time frame	Description
functional changes: Connectivity	after end of 3-day cognitive training vs baseline	Connectivity (measured by resting-state fMRT and correlation analysis) at baseline compared to end of training
cortical excitability	at baseline	cortical excitability measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
long term effects	after 1 month vs baseline	long term effetcs measured by performance in LOCATO task after end of training and after 1 month compared to control conditions
memory	immediately after end of 3-day of cognitive training, after 1 month vs. baseline	memory performance tested at baseline compared to memory performance after the end of a 3-day cognitive training period and after 1 month (posttraining) in training and stimulation vs. training and sham stimulation
genotyping of learning related polymorphisms	once	To assess predictors of positive reaction to brain stimulation, genotyping of several learning related polymorphisms will be performed (i.e., APOE, BDNF Val66Met, COMT Val158Met).
Quality of Life	after 1 month vs baseline	quality of life as measured by standardized questionaire at baseline compared to quality of life measured 1 month after intervention (training and stimulation vs. training and sham-stimualtion)

Countries

Germany

Outcome results

None listed

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