Emotional Memory
Conditions
Keywords
memory, emotional memory, transcranial magnetic stimulation, emotional valence, emotional arousal
Brief summary
The goal of the current clinical trial is to investigate whether transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over specific brain areas can influence the perception of emotional images and emotional memory. TMS is a non-invasive superficial brain stimulation generated by a magnetic field. The results of the study aim to provide valuable insights for the use of TMS in the investigation of mental processes.
Interventions
DEVICEExperimental continuous 30 Hz thetaburst transcranial magnetic stimulation
Bilateral continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) 30 Hz to the temporo-occipital cortex * Frequency: trains of 30 Hz (3 pulses) every 167 ms (frequency of 6 Hz, in the range of theta band) * Intensity: 100% of resting motor threshold (rMT) * Location: consecutively on left and right temporo-occipital cortex (MNI: -47, -77, 4; 50, -69, -4) * Duration: 33.3 seconds for each side * Timing: Immediately before showing IAPS pictures (off-line)
DEVICEControl continuous 30 Hz thetaburst transcranial magnetic stimulation
Active control condition using bilateral continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) 30 Hz to the superior parietal cortex * Frequency: trains of 30 Hz (3 pulses) every 167 ms (frequency of 6 Hz, in the range of theta band) * Intensity: 100% of resting motor threshold (rMT) * Location: consecutively on left and right superior parietal cortex (MNI: -17, -70, 60; 17, -70, 60) * Duration: 33.3 seconds * Timing: Immediately before showing IAPS pictures (off-line)
Sponsors
Prof. Dominique de Quervain, MD
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Generally healthy * Normotensive (BP 90/60mmHg - 140/90mmHg) * BMI: 18 - 30 kg/m2 * Fluent in speaking German
Exclusion criteria
* Metal in the head area (e.g., splinters, fragments, clips, etc.) * Implanted neurostimulator (e.g., DBS, epidural/subdural, VNS) * Cardiac pacemaker or intracardiac lines * Medication infusion device * Non removable metal piercings in the head area, pivot teeth (retainers are no exclusion criterion) * Tattoos (head area) less than 3 months old or older than 20 years * Condition after neurosurgery * Hearing problems or tinnitus * Not able to sit still due to tremor, tics, itching * History of repeated syncope * Head trauma diagnosed as concussion or associated with loss of consciousness * diagnosis of epilepsy, or a convulsion or a seizure in the past of the participant or his/her close family (parents and siblings) * TMS in the past showing problems * Spinal or ventricular derivations * Positive pregnancy test * Alcohol intake 12 hours before TMS visits * Regular intake of any medication (excluding oral contraceptives) * CNS-active medication or illegal drugs 48h before TMS visits * Individual's rMT above the limits of rTMS device * Suicidal tendency as measured by Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), item 10 \> 0
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional valence for aversive pictures | Immediately after the intervention, lasting for approximately 7 minutes | The mean valence rating of aversive pictures as assessed by a visual analogue scale assessed directly after TMS. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional arousal | Immediately after the intervention, lasting for approximately 7 minutes | The mean arousal rating of aversive pictures as assessed by a visual analogue scale assessed directly after TMS. |
| Aversive episodic memory | Approximately one hour after the intervention | Number of aversive pictures remembered in a free recall pictorial task using IAPS picture set |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional valence for non-aversive pictures | Immediately after the intervention, lasting for approximately 7 minutes | The mean valence rating of non-aversive pictures as assessed by a visual analogue scale assessed directly after TMS. |
| Emotional arousal for non-aversive pictures | Immediately after the intervention, lasting for approximately 7 minutes | The mean arousal rating of non-aversive pictures as assessed by a visual analogue scale assessed directly after TMS. |
| Non-aversive episodic memory | Approximately one hour after the intervention | Number of non-aversive pictures remembered in a free recall pictorial task using IAPS picture set |
Countries
Switzerland
Contacts
Primary ContactEhssan Amini, MD
Outcome results
None listed