Modulation of Visual-Spatial Learning in Healthy Young Adults by tDCS

July 26, 2017 updated by: Agnes Flöel, Charite University, Berlin, Germany

Modulation of Visual-Spatial Learning in Healthy Young Adults by Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation - Proof of Principle and Mechanisms

The aim of this study is to investigate whether a combination of intensive training of visual-spatial abilities (LOCATO task) with anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) leads to an improvement of learning and memory in healthy young adults and to examine the underlying neuronal mechanism.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

24

Phase

  • 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

  • Germany
      • Berlin, Germany, 10117
        • Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 35 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • right handednesss
  • unobtrusive neuropsychological screening
  • age: 18-35 years

Exclusion Criteria:

  • severe internal or psychiatric disease
  • epilepsy
  • other severe neurological disease, e.g. previous major stroke, brain tumor
  • DMS-IV manifest dementia
  • contraindication for MRT (claustrophobia, metallic implants, tattoos)

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

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Sham Comparator: training + sham stimulation
Combination of intensive training of visual-spatial abilities (LOCATO task) with sham stimulation
Device: tDCS
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
Behavioral: training
intensive training of visual-spatial abilities (in LOCATO task)
Experimental: training + tDCS
Combination of intensive training of visual-spatial abilities (LOCATO task) with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
Device: tDCS
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
Behavioral: training
intensive training of visual-spatial abilities (in LOCATO task)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
performance in LOCATO task (visual-spatial learning and memory) after a combination of intensive visual-spatial training and tDCS
Time Frame: immediately after end of a 3 day period of training in tDCS condition vs sham condition
Investigation whether the combination of intensive visual-spatial training (LOCATO task) and tDCS leads to improvement of visual-spatial learning and memory measured by the performance in LOCATO task after end of a 3 day period of training compared to sham stimulation.
immediately after end of a 3 day period of training in tDCS condition vs sham condition

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
cortical excitability
Time Frame: at baseline
cortical excitability measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
at baseline
Quality of Life
Time Frame: after 1 month vs baseline
quality of life as measured by standardized questionaire at baseline compared to quality of life measured 1 month after intervention (training and stimulation vs. training and sham-stimualtion)
after 1 month vs baseline
memory
Time Frame: immediately after end of 3-day of cognitive training, after 1 month vs. baseline
memory performance tested at baseline compared to memory performance after the end of a 3-day cognitive training period and after 1 month (posttraining) in training and stimulation vs. training and sham stimulation
immediately after end of 3-day of cognitive training, after 1 month vs. baseline
genotyping of learning related polymorphisms
Time Frame: once
To assess predictors of positive reaction to brain stimulation, genotyping of several learning related polymorphisms will be performed (i.e., APOE, BDNF Val66Met, COMT Val158Met).
once
long term effects
Time Frame: after 1 month vs baseline
long term effetcs measured by performance in LOCATO task after end of training and after 1 month compared to control conditions
after 1 month vs baseline
functional changes: Connectivity
Time Frame: after end of 3-day cognitive training vs baseline
Connectivity (measured by resting-state fMRT and correlation analysis) at baseline compared to end of training
after end of 3-day cognitive training vs baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Charite University, Berlin, Germany

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 (Actual)

March 1, 2014

Primary Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 13, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 8, 2014

First Posted (Estimate)

April 10, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 27, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 26, 2017

Last Verified

July 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • LOCATO-YA-tDCS

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.

Clinical Trials on Healthy Young Adults

Clinical Trials on tDCS

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Switzerland

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe