Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Conditions
Keywords
transcranial magnetic stimulation
Brief summary
Noninvasive stimulation of the central nervous system, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), has been increasingly used in the investigation of cortical plasticity. The purpose of our study is to understand mechanistically-at the neurophysiological and systems levels-how the brain learns new motor skills. We propose to study the acquisition, consolidation, and retention of motor skill learning in healthy subjects. At the behavioral level, we will use movement kinematics to quantify and characterize movement, which allow us to infer functional strategies used by the brain to reduce movement errors. At a neurophysiological level, we will use TMS to document changes in cortical circuitry, which will allow us to infer neuroplastic changes possibly subserving these strategies. At a systems level, we will enhance motor system excitability using tDCS, which will enable us to infer the contribution of the stimulated area to the motor system's ability to learn new skills.
Interventions
PROCEDUREtDCS-NeuroConn.
tDCS is delivered noninvasively via electrodes applied to the surface of the head, and a mild electrical current is given during motor training.
PROCEDURETMS - Magstim.
TMS is delivered noninvasively via a hand-held coil applied to the surface of the head, and a magnetic pulse probes cortical circuitry \[this is not repetitive TMS and so does NOT modulate brain excitability
PROCEDURESham tDCS
delivered by briefly turning on and off the stimulator at the beginning of training, which mimics the sensation of true stimulation.
Sponsors
NYU Langone Health
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Right-handed dominance * Ability to give informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* active and/or chronic neurological, psychiatric (including depression), or medical conditions * psychoactive medication use * active drug/alcohol dependence or abuse history * homelessness or other social situation that would preclude consistent visits * history of head injury (including neurosurgery) * history of seizure * inability to comprehend or participate in the procedures involved * metal in the head (besides in mouth), such as implanted electrodes or devices, shrapnel, surgical clips, or fragments from welding/metalwork * implanted devices (such as cardiac pacemakers, medical pumps, or intracardiac lines) in the thorax
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Motor skill gain from day 1 to day 5 | 5 Days | defined as an improvement in performance accuracy at fixed movement speeds (see 5.2 for description of task and outcome). The delta in accuracy between day 1 and day 5 equates to motor skill learning. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed