Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in the Primary Motor Cortex in Healthy Individuals

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in the Primary Motor Cortex and Its Effects on Sensitivity, Pressure Pain Threshold, and Electromyographic Activity in Healthy Individuals: A Quasi-experimental Single-blind Sham-controlled Trial

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT04148547

Enrollment

100

Registered

2019-11-01

Start date

2018-09-01

Completion date

2019-06-30

Last updated

2019-11-05

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

Conditions

Basic Physiology, Brain Stimulation

Keywords

Transcranial direct current stimulation

Brief summary

The main aim of this study is to assess the short-term effects of active-tDCS (a-tDCS) on the M1 regarding sensorimotor variables such as discriminative sensation, pressure pain threshold and electromyographic activity compared with a sham-tDCS (s-tDCS) in healthy individuals. The main objective was to determine whether there were clinically relevant changes generated by tDCS and if they were superior to a sham intervention.

Interventions

DEVICESooma transcranial direct current stimulation device

This group received brain training through transcranial direct current for 20 minutes.

DEVICEPlacebo Sooma transcranial direct current stimulation device

This group received sham brain training through transcranial direct current for 20 minutes. The current is active for 15 seconds and then switches off until the intervention is finished.

Study design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 65 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* asymptomatic participants * men and women aged 18 to 65 years

Exclusion criteria

* insomnia * nausea * headache * pregnancy * use of painkillers in the last 24 hours * presence of metal inside the head * pacemaker * wound on the area of electrodes' application * drug consumption; (j) recent application of tDCS * psychiatric disease impeding understanding of the study.

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Pressure pain threshold through an algometer	Change in pressure pain threshold immediately at the end of the intervention	Pressure pain threshold has been defined as the minimal amount of pressure at which a sense of pressure first changes to pain or discomfort
Tactile acuity threshold	Change in tactile acuity threshold immediately at the end of the intervention	Tactile acuity threshold is an important variable to know the somatosensory state and Von Frey monofilaments and Aesthesiometer were used
Muscle recruitment through electromyographic activity	Change in electromyographic activity immediately at the end of the intervention	The activity of surface electromyography (sEMG) during an isometric maximal voluntary contraction was measured in the biceps brachii and rectus femoris.

Countries

Spain

Outcome results

None listed

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