Methods to Enhance Transcranial Direct Stimulation (tDCS)

December 7, 2010 updated by: The University of New South Wales

Investigating Methods to Enhance the Excitatory Effects of Transcranial Direct Stimulation (tDCS)

tDCS has been shown to be an effective treatment for depression. However, tDCS is a relatively new clinical tool and more needs to be understood about its use. This study hopes to further the field of knowledge by examining how tDCS should be optimally used. Application of tDCS in clinical trials of depression is typically to the prefrontal cortex, but in this project, tDCS application will be to the motor cortex as it provides a more ready measure of excitability. Excitability will be measured using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to the motor cortex and electromyography (EMG) recordings from peripheral muscles stimulated. Using a cross-over three-arm design this study aims to investigate whether daily tDCS administered in increasing intensity across sessions leads to greater and lasting effects on brain excitability than keeping the intensity at a same dose across the days and whether the excitatory effect could be enhanced with D-cycloserine, a medication known to prolong the excitatory effects of a single session of tDCS. This in turn will inform on how to optimize tDCS for therapeutic applications, e.g treatment of depression. The study hypothesis is that 5 sessions of tDCS with a dose of D-cycloserine given on the Monday and Thursday sessions will result in more sustained effect on motor cortex excitability than 5 sessions of tDCS alone. The second hypothesis is that the gradational increases in tDCS intensity over 5 sessions will result in greater motor cortex excitability than 5 sessions of tDCS where intensity is kept constant across sessions.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
24

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Australia
    • New South Wales
      • Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2031
        • Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 40 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male
  • Right handed (> 18/20 on the Edinburgh Handedness)
  • Aged 18-40

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Mental illness
  • General medical illness
  • Neurological illness, epilepsy
  • Alcohol use above National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines
  • Smokers
  • Excessive caffeine intake
  • Illicit drug use
  • Herbal medication use
  • Electronic implant, e.g, cochlear implant, pacemaker
  • Musculoskeletal problem in the arm

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: ARM 1 - CONTROL
Subject given tDCS every day of the week (5 sessions) at 2 mA.
Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
tDCS applied to to motor cortex every weekday (5 sessions), at 2mA ,during 20 minutes.Conductive rubber electrodes (7 x 5 cm = 35 cm2) covered by sponges soaked in saline will be used, held in place by a band. The current will be gradually increased to the level of 2 mA over 30 seconds (to avoid the sensation of a flash).
Other Names:
  • tDCS (Eldith DC-Stimulator (CE certified)
Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
tDCS applied to the motor cortex every day of the week during 20 minutes, at 1mA first session, 1.5 mA second and third sessions, and 2mA fourth and fifth sessions, during 20 minutes. Conductive rubber electrodes (7 x 5 cm = 35 cm2) covered by sponges soaked in saline will be used, held in place by a band. The current will be gradually increased over 30 seconds (to avoid the sensation of a flash).
Other Names:
  • Eldith DC-Stimulator (CE certified)
Experimental: Arm 2 - INCREASING
Subjects given increasing intensity during tDCS across the week (Monday 1mA, Tuesday 1.5mA, Wednesday 1.5 mA, Thursday 2 mA, Friday 2mA).
Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
tDCS applied to to motor cortex every weekday (5 sessions), at 2mA ,during 20 minutes.Conductive rubber electrodes (7 x 5 cm = 35 cm2) covered by sponges soaked in saline will be used, held in place by a band. The current will be gradually increased to the level of 2 mA over 30 seconds (to avoid the sensation of a flash).
Other Names:
  • tDCS (Eldith DC-Stimulator (CE certified)
Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
tDCS applied to the motor cortex every day of the week during 20 minutes, at 1mA first session, 1.5 mA second and third sessions, and 2mA fourth and fifth sessions, during 20 minutes. Conductive rubber electrodes (7 x 5 cm = 35 cm2) covered by sponges soaked in saline will be used, held in place by a band. The current will be gradually increased over 30 seconds (to avoid the sensation of a flash).
Other Names:
  • Eldith DC-Stimulator (CE certified)
Experimental: ARM 3 - CYCLOSERINE
D-cycloserine (100 mg) given on the Monday and Thursday sessions, administering tDCS at 2 mA.
Other: Transcranial direct Stimulation (tDCS) and D-cycloserine

Transcranial Direct Stimulation applied to the motor cortex every day of the week (5 sessions) at 2mA, during 20 minutes. Conductive rubber electrodes (7 x 5 cm = 35 cm2) covered by sponges soaked in saline will be used, held in place by a band. The current will be gradually increased to the level of 2 mA over 30 seconds (to avoid the sensation of a flash).

D-cycloserine, administered orally (capsules), 100 mg, twice a week (Monday and Thursday), prior to the tDCS session.

Other Names:
  • tDCS - Eldith DC-Stimulator (CE certified)
  • D-cycloserine, Seromycin Pulvules, 100 mg

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Change from baseline in brain excitability measured through motor evoked potentials (MEP) 0 to 120 minutes after tDCS session.
Time Frame: Pre-treatment, post treatment at minute 0, minute 5, minute 10, minute 15, minute 20, minute 25, minute 30, minute 60, minute 90, minute 120.
Pre-treatment, post treatment at minute 0, minute 5, minute 10, minute 15, minute 20, minute 25, minute 30, minute 60, minute 90, minute 120.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
The University of New South Wales

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 1, 2010

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 1, 2010

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 2, 2010

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 2, 2010

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 3, 2010

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 8, 2010

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 7, 2010

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2010

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • HREC09344

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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