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Investigations of Amygdala Function Using Neurophysiological Recording and Stimulation

Investigations of Amygdala Function Using Neurophysiological Recording and Stimulation

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03958903
Enrollment
23
Registered
2019-05-22
Start date
2019-04-24
Completion date
2020-03-13
Last updated
2023-09-26

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

Conditions

Fear, PTSD, Panic Disorder

Keywords

Responsive neurostimulation, Amygdala electrophysiology, Neuropace RNS, Temporal lobe epilepsy, closed-loop brain stimulation

Brief summary

This study aims to specifically examine the in vivo electrophysiology and effects of direct stimulation of the human amygdala during conditioned and evoked fear. Investigators will also examine amygdala electrophysiology and the effects of stimulation during tasks to examine the effects of reward on fear memory. This study will recruit subjects with a history of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) who have undergone neurosurgical implantation with FDA-approved, NeuroPace RNS devices for treatment of seizures. These patients provide a unique cohort with (Responsive Neurostimulation) RNS devices capable of both recording and stimulating the amygdala during performance of fear-based, behavioral tasks.

Interventions

DEVICEAmygdala recording and stimulation using Neuropace RNS

Subjects will undergo a series of different, fear-related, behavioral tasks while undergoing amygdala electrophysiology recording and stimulation using the Neuropace RNS devices.

Subjects perform a set of fear related behavioral tasks over 2 days, with 3 tasks each day.In addition to amygdala RNS recording and stimulation, recording of electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), and electrodermal activity (EDA) will be performed using standard techniques to capture and quantify the fear response across all tasks.

Sponsors

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
CollaboratorNIH
Stanford University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* be between age 18-65 years of age * participants must have received the Neuropace RNS implant to treat their seizures * have comprehension of instructions in the English language * be on a stable dose of medications for their epilepsy * have received the RNS System for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy * have capacity to provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

* significant cognitive impairment (Mini Mental Status Examination score of less than 20) * DSM-V diagnosis of alcohol/substance abuse (except nicotine) within the last month or a diagnosis of alcohol/substance dependence (except nicotine) within the last 6 months * Unable to apply EEG cap * History of traumatic brain injury * Active or high suicide risk * Unable to come to study site/lack of stable housing * is pregnant or nursing * Patient's treating neurologist determines that the patient's epilepsy is not stable enough to participate in this study * Any condition (including psychiatric) which in the judgment of the Investigator would prevent the subject from completion of the study

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
EEG(electroencephalography) amplitude changes2 daysAnalyze change in amplitude in microvolts -in resting state EEG recording and EEG recording across all the tasks as determined clinically by the Investigator. Investigators will be analyzing stimulus-induced electrophysiological recordings, focusing on Event-Related Potentials (ERPs).
EEG(electroencephalography) frequency changes2 daysAnalyze changes in frequency in Hertz- in resting state EEG recording and EEG recording across all the tasks as determined clinically by the Investigator. Investigators will be analyzing stimulus-induced electrophysiological recordings, focusing on Event-Related Spectral Potentials (ERSP).
ECoG (ElectroCorticoGraphy) amplitude changes2 daysQuantify changes in ECoG measures as determined clinically by the Investigator.- using intracranial recordings from the Neuropace devices. Analyze changes in ECoG amplitude- in resting state and ECoG throughout task and stimulation.
ECoG (ElectroCorticoGraphy) frequency changes2 daysQuantify changes in ECoG measures as determined clinically by the Investigator using intracranial recordings from the Neuropace devices. Analyze changes in ECoG frequency - in resting state and ECoG throughout task and stimulation

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Electrophysiological changes in EMG2 daysAnalyze changes in amplitude of electromyography (EMG) from resting state to EMG recordings across all tasks.
Electrophysiological changes in EDA2 daysAnalyze changes in amplitude of electrodermal activity (EDA) from resting state to EMG recordings across all tasks.

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

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