- ICH GCP
- US Clinical Trials Registry
- Clinical Trial NCT02987816
Neurosurgical Skill Enhancement Using Transcranial Stimulation (LETS-LEARN)
Learning Enhancement Using Transcranial Stimulation, Leading Expertise, Acquisition and Retention of Neurosurgical Skills
Study Overview
Status
Conditions
Intervention / Treatment
Detailed Description
Rationale: Recent changes in medical training environments have resulted in many trainees lacking sufficient opportunity to acquire specific skills necessary for their specialty. New methods to enhance the acquisition and retention of medical and surgical skills are required to ensure the quality of the future physician workforce. Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) is an emerging method of non-invasive brain stimulation that has been show to safely enhance motor learning in adults and children. Even a modest enhancement of acquisition and retention of medical-surgical skill with tDCS carries the potential to accelerate skill training for health care providers, thereby contributing to greater training efficiency and improved patient outcomes.
Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess whether tDCS can enhance the acquisition and retention of neurosurgical ability.
Ethics:This study has been approval by the University of Calgary Research Ethics Board
Design: Randomized, double blind, sham-controlled trial to evaluate the ability of tDCS to enhance learning and retention of neurosurgical skills.
Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation: The tDCS methods used are based on best-available evidence and practices, and will be applied in a standardized fashion by experienced investigators. Anodal tDCS will be delivered through saline-soaked sponge electrodes using a NeuroConn Direct-Current Stimulator (NeuroConn, Ilmenau, Germany). The anode will be centered over the left primary motor cortex (localized using the 10-20 EEG System), with the cathode over the contralateral supraorbital area. Both anodal and sham tDCS groups will have the current ramped-up to 1milliamp over 30 seconds. In the anodal tDCS group, the current will be held for 20 minutes. In the sham tDCS condition, the current will be held for only 60 seconds (no changes in cortical excitability) followed by a 30 second ramp-down.
Participants: Medical students (years 1-3) from the Cumming School of Medicine (University of Calgary) will be recruited. To ensure comparable baseline skills, trainees will be excluded if they have undergone formal neurosurgical training in the past 3 months.
Sample size calculations are based on the performance measures for the percentage of virtual tumor resected, determined through pilot studies. Based on 20% more tumor being resected at post-training, power of 90% and type-1 error of 0.05, the investigators estimate a sample size of a minimum of 24 participants (n=12 per stimulation condition).
Study Design: A short questionnaire will be completed to determine demographic characteristics, including: gender, age, level of training, how many times participants have performed on a virtual surgical simulator, how often participants play video games, and how often participants play a musical instrument.
Participants will be recruited at the Project NeuroArm Laboratory (University of Calgary) and be oriented to the workspace. Participants will complete virtual tumor resections on a NeuroTouch (National Research Council of Canada) surgical simulator. Participants will view a standardized training video, created by an expert in neurosurgery, demonstrating a virtual tumor resection using the simulator. Participant will have 3 minutes to resect a virtual tumor, avoiding resection of healthy tissue. Recorded outcome metrics will include: % tumor resected, volume of healthy tissue resected, time of excessive force on tumor and time of excessive force on healthy tissue.
Participants will perform one resection at baseline, establishing baseline skill. Participants will be randomized to receive sham or active tDCS by blinding selecting a code from the envelope, corresponding to a particular stimulation condition. Participants will perform eight training repetitions, taking approximately 30 minutes. Following approximately 30 minutes of training (eight training repetitions) the tDCS electrodes will be removed, and a final resection will be performed. Six weeks following the training the participants will return to assess retention of skill, performing a single resection. Emerging evidence suggests that a significant decay in surgical skill is present six weeks following training.
Data Analysis: Independent samples t-test will evaluate difference in outcome metrics at post-training between stimulation conditions. Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA for factors "stimulation type" and "training block" will explore the interaction between tDCS and training for each outcome metric. Retention of skill will be assessed using a paired t-test for each stimulation group.
Study Type
Enrollment (Actual)
Phase
- Not Applicable
Participation Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Ages Eligible for Study
- Child
- Adult
- Older Adult
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Genders Eligible for Study
Description
Inclusion Criteria:
- Medical student
- Informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of a developmental, neurological or neuropsychiatric disorder
- Taking neuropsychotropic medication
- Has an irremovable implanted metal object in the head
- Has a pacemaker or other implanted electrical device
- Pregnant
Study Plan
How is the study designed?
Design Details
- Primary Purpose: Other
- Allocation: Randomized
- Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
- Masking: Double
Arms and Interventions
Participant Group / Arm |
Intervention / Treatment |
---|---|
Sham Comparator: Sham tDCS
Sham tDCS.
45 second ramp up to 1milliamp, 60 second current hold at 1milliamp, 45 second ramp down to 0milliamp.
Anode positioned over the left primary motor cortex, and the cathode over the contralateral supraorbital area.
|
NeuroConn Direct-Current Stimulator.
Sham tDCS: 45 second ramp up to 1milliamp, 60 second current hold at 1milliamp, 45 second ramp down to 0milliamp.
Anode positioned over the left primary motor cortex, and the cathode over the contralateral supraorbital area.
Other Names:
|
Experimental: Anodal tDCS
Anodal tDCS.
45 second ramp up to 1milliamp, 20 minute current hold at 1milliamp, 45 second ramp down to 0milliamp.
Anode positioned over the left primary motor cortex, and the cathode over the contralateral supraorbital area.
|
NeuroConn Direct-Current Stimulator.
Sham tDCS: 45 second ramp up to 1milliamp, 20 minute current hold at 1milliamp, 45 second ramp down to 0milliamp.
Anode positioned over the left primary motor cortex, and the cathode over the contralateral supraorbital area.
Other Names:
|
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
---|---|---|
Change in % tumor resected
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately post-training
|
A "baseline" trial will be performed, followed by 8 consecutive "training" trials (approximately 30 minutes of training), immediately followed by a "post-training" trial.
|
Baseline and immediately post-training
|
Secondary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
---|---|---|
Change in volume of healthy tissue resected
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately post-training
|
A "baseline" trial will be performed, followed by 8 consecutive "training" trials (approximately 30 minutes of training), immediately followed by a "post-training" trial.
|
Baseline and immediately post-training
|
Change in time of excessive forces on tumor
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately post-training
|
A "baseline" trial will be performed, followed by 8 consecutive "training" trials (approximately 30 minutes of training), immediately followed by a "post-training" trial.
|
Baseline and immediately post-training
|
Change in time of excessive forces on healthy tissue
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately post-training
|
A "baseline" trial will be performed, followed by 8 consecutive "training" trials (approximately 30 minutes of training), immediately followed by a "post-training" trial.
|
Baseline and immediately post-training
|
Other Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
---|---|---|
Retention of primary and secondary outcomes measures
Time Frame: 6 weeks following training
|
Retention of skill will be examined 6 weeks following the training session.
A single repetition of the tumor resection task will be performed.
% tumor resected, volume of healthy tissue resected, time of excessive forces on tumor, and time of excessive forces on healthy tissue will be recorded and compared to the "post-training" trial (immediately following training).
|
6 weeks following training
|
Collaborators and Investigators
Sponsor
Publications and helpful links
General Publications
- Nitsche MA, Paulus W. Excitability changes induced in the human motor cortex by weak transcranial direct current stimulation. J Physiol. 2000 Sep 15;527 Pt 3(Pt 3):633-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7793.2000.t01-1-00633.x.
- Reis J, Schambra HM, Cohen LG, Buch ER, Fritsch B, Zarahn E, Celnik PA, Krakauer JW. Noninvasive cortical stimulation enhances motor skill acquisition over multiple days through an effect on consolidation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Feb 3;106(5):1590-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0805413106. Epub 2009 Jan 21.
- Coleman JJ, Esposito TJ, Rozycki GS, Feliciano DV. Early subspecialization and perceived competence in surgical training: are residents ready? J Am Coll Surg. 2013 Apr;216(4):764-71; discussion 771-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2012.12.045.
- Reis J, Fritsch B. Modulation of motor performance and motor learning by transcranial direct current stimulation. Curr Opin Neurol. 2011 Dec;24(6):590-6. doi: 10.1097/WCO.0b013e32834c3db0.
Study record dates
Study Major Dates
Study Start (Actual)
Primary Completion (Actual)
Study Completion (Actual)
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Posted (Estimate)
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Actual)
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Verified
More Information
Terms related to this study
Other Study ID Numbers
- REB 15-2443
Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)
Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?
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 Neurosurgery
-
Aarhus University HospitalWithdrawn
-
The Cleveland ClinicCompletedIntracranial NeurosurgeryUnited States
-
Khon Kaen UniversityNot yet recruitingIntubation | Hemodynamics | Laryngoscopy | Neurosurgery | LidocaineThailand
-
Fraser HealthNot yet recruitingAnesthesia, Spinal | Neurosurgery | Ropivacaine | BupivacaineCanada
-
King's College LondonRecruitingNeurosurgery | Neurovascular | Neuro-OncologyUnited Kingdom
-
University Hospital Bispebjerg and FrederiksbergCompletedGeneral Anaesthesia | Neurosurgery | Elective CraniotomyDenmark
-
Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc- Université...TerminatedPost-operative NeurosurgeryBelgium
-
Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc- Université...CompletedPost-operative NeurosurgeryBelgium
-
National Taiwan University HospitalCompletedNeurosurgery, Critical Ill
Clinical Trials on Sham tDCS
-
Universidad de AlmeriaSecretaría General de Universidades, Investigación y Tecnología, Junta de...Enrolling by invitationSubstance-Related DisordersSpain
-
Bambino Gesù Hospital and Research InstituteCompleted
-
University of California, Los AngelesNational Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)Completed
-
Dr. Alexander ThielCompletedAphasiaCanada, United States, Germany
-
The University of Texas at DallasCompletedMild Cognitive ImpairmentUnited States
-
University Hospital, AntwerpUniversiteit AntwerpenCompleted
-
Shanghai Mental Health CenterNathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric ResearchCompleted
-
University of LiegeCompletedDisorder of Consciousness | Spasticity, Muscle | Minimally Conscious State | Vegetative StateBelgium
-
Nachum Soroker, MDUnknown
-
Hospital de Clinicas de Porto AlegreHospital IndependenciaCompletedChronic Pain | Hallux ValgusBrazil