Traveling-wave Transcranial Electric Stimulation (TravelingTES)

Precision Transcranial Electric Stimulation for the Therapy of Cognitive Impairment

This study will assess the impact of traveling wave transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on working memory performance in adults.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Working Memory
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)

Detailed Description

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can non-invasively alter neuroelectric activity in the brain by applying weak time-varying electric currents via the scalp. Complex patterns of electric brain activity can take the form of traveling waves - spatially coherent brain rhythms that gradually propagate through the neocortex. Traveling waves are crucial for the temporal coordination of informational flow in the brain. Using the novel traveling-wave transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) approach, the investigators will explore the effects of frontal-to-parietal and parietal-to-frontal traveling waves on working memory performance and brain electrophysiology in adults.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Minnesota
    • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455
      • University of Minnesota

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 45 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age between 18 and 45 years old.
2. Confident level of English language.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. History or evidence of chronic neurological or mental disorder.
2. Metal or electric implant in the head, neck, or chest area.
3. History of head injuries with loss of consciousness.
4. Any acute or chronic medical condition that requires ongoing pharmacological treatment.
5. Pregnancy or breast-feeding.
6. Alcohol or drug addiction.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Frontoparietal Slow Theta Stimulation; Participants will receive multi-electrode transcranial alternating current stimulation over the prefrontal and parietal brain regions that induces frontal-to-parietal traveling wave at the frequency of 4 Hz with the intensity of up to 2 mA and duration up to 20 min.	Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS); Non-invasive, multi-electrode transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) over frontal and parietal brain areas.
Experimental: Frontoparietal Fast Theta Stimulation; Participants will receive multi-electrode transcranial alternating current stimulation over the prefrontal and parietal brain regions that induces frontal-to-parietal traveling wave at the frequency of 7 Hz with the intensity of up to 2 mA and duration up to 20 min.	Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS); Non-invasive, multi-electrode transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) over frontal and parietal brain areas.
Experimental: Parietofrontal Slow Theta Stimulation; Participants will receive multi-electrode transcranial alternating current stimulation over the prefrontal and parietal brain regions that induces parietal-to-frontal traveling wave at the frequency of 4 Hz with the intensity of up to 2 mA and duration up to 20 min.	Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS); Non-invasive, multi-electrode transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) over frontal and parietal brain areas.
Experimental: Parietofrontal Fast Theta Stimulation; Participants will receive multi-electrode transcranial alternating current stimulation over the prefrontal and parietal brain regions that induces parietal-to-frontal traveling wave at the frequency of 7 Hz with the intensity of up to 2 mA and duration up to 20 min.	Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS); Non-invasive, multi-electrode transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) over frontal and parietal brain areas.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Changes in working memory performance	Changes in working memory performance (% of correct responses) as measured with the standardized N-back working memory task during active stimulation relative to pre-stimulation performance.	Immediate effect during stimulation

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Changes in reaction time	Changes in reaction time (milliseconds) as measured using the standardized N-back working memory task during active stimulation relative to pre-stimulation performance.	Immediate effect during stimulation
Changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) connectivity	Changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) connectivity in theta band (in normalized units) after transcranial electric stimulation relative to pre-stimulation periods.	Five minutes post-stimulation

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Minnesota
• Collaborators: Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ivan Alekseichuk, PhD, University of Minnesota

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 5, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 6, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 26, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): June 1, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 3, 2025
• Last Verified: February 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: STUDY00002876; 30064 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Brain & Behavior Research Foundation)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: Full or partial access to the preprocessed data will be provided upon the request to the faculty / research staff of recognized research, medical, and educational institutions for educational and scientific purposes. The request should be sent via an institutional email and will be stored with the study materials. The request should include a short description of the scientific or educational aims.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Data will be shared only upon request after the study has ended (within 6 months).
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: To receive access, the study investigators need to be contacted via an institutional e-mail including a short description of the scientific or educational aims.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: Yes
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No