Testing the Contribution of Orbitofrontal Cortex Networks to Reward Identity Learning

This research study examines the contribution of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) networks to learning reward identity expectations.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Sham transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS); Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Detailed Description

This study is designed to examine the contribution of OFC networks to reward identity learning. It will use network-targeted TMS to test whether OFC is necessary for reward identity learning. Healthy human subjects will perform a three-reward reversal learning task after either TMS or sham stimulation while fMRI data are acquired. This is a randomized, within-subject, cross-over study.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 42
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Illinois
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
      • Northwestern University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 50 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 18 and 50 years old
• Right-handed
• Fluent English speakers

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of significant neurological conditions (e.g., epilepsy, dementia, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, etc.)
• History of major psychiatric conditions (e.g., general anxiety disorder, depression, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, alcoholism, etc.)
• Significant medical illnesses (e.g., cancer, meningitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, etc.)
• Significant cerebrovascular risk factors (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, etc.)
• Current use of psychoactive medications (e.g., barbiturates, benzodiazepines, chloral hydrate, haloperidol, lithium, carbamazepine, phenytoin, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, diazepam, etc.)
• Smell or taste dysfunction
• History of significant allergies requiring hospitalization for treatment
• History of severe asthma requiring hospitalization for treatment
• Habitual smoking
• Magnetic implants (e.g., shunts or stents, aneurysm clips, surgical clips, cochlear implants, metal bone/joint pins, plates and screws, eyelid spring or wires, etc.)
• Electronic devices (e.g., implanted cardiac defibrillator, cardiac pacemaker, deep brain/spinal cord or nerve stimulator, internal electrodes/wires, medication infusion devices, etc.)
• History of metal working without proper eye protection, or injury with metal shrapnel or metal slivers
• Claustrophobia
• Pregnancy
• Predisposition to seizures (e.g., personal history of seizures, family history of seizures epilepsy, pregnancy, alcoholism, etc.)
• Use of medications that increase the likelihood of seizures (e.g., bupropion, citalopram, duloxetine, ketamine, gamma-hydroxybutyrate, etc.)
• History of surgical procedures performed on the brain or spinal cord
• History of severe head trauma followed by loss of consciousness
• History of fainting spells or syncope
• Hearing problems or tinnitus

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Sham stimulation first, then real stimulation; Participants will first be delivered sham TMS stimulation. Then on a separate day, participants will be delivered real TMS stimulation.	Device: Sham transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS); Sham TMS will be applied using the MagVenture MagPro X100 stimulator with the placebo side of the Cool-B65 A/P coil.; Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS); Real TMS will be applied using the MagVenture MagPro X100 stimulator with the active side of the Cool-B65 A/P coil.
Experimental: Real stimulation first, then sham stimulation; Participants will first be delivered real TMS stimulation. Then on a separate day, participants will be delivered sham TMS stimulation.	Device: Sham transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS); Sham TMS will be applied using the MagVenture MagPro X100 stimulator with the placebo side of the Cool-B65 A/P coil.; Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS); Real TMS will be applied using the MagVenture MagPro X100 stimulator with the active side of the Cool-B65 A/P coil.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Percentage of correct outcome predictions	Percentage of correct outcome predictions in response to predictive cues during the reversal learning task.	1 hour
Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) responses	Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) responses measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during the reversal learning task.	1 hour

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Northwestern University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Christina Zelano, PhD, Northwestern University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 16, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 3, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): November 3, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 9, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 14, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): June 15, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): November 9, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 8, 2023
• Last Verified: November 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: STU00214694

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: All data that underlie results in a publication
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Upon publication
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Data can be obtained from PI for non-profit purposes upon reasonable request.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No