Brain Stimulation Effects on Cognitive Task Performance

April 2, 2026 updated by: Colorado State University
The purpose of this study is to determine optimal task design parameters for the measurement of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) effects on cognition.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive form of brain stimulation that relies on rapidly changing magnetic fields to influence neuronal firing rates. TMS can be used to temporarily inhibit or enhance the firing of populations of neurons located in the cerebral cortex. TMS-induced cortical inhibition versus enhancement is increasingly being used as a tool for exploring brain-behavior relationships and for improving cognitive functioning in people experiencing cognitive deficits due to neuropsychiatric illness (e.g., dementia and schizophrenia). However, important and unresolved methodological issues in this field concern the optimal design of cognitive tasks for TMS stimulation protocols. The purpose of this study is to determine optimal design protocols for online TMS studies of cognitive processes involved in attention, learning, and memory. Research participants will complete cognitive tasks while active versus sham (i.e., non-stimulating) TMS is applied to the brain. A factorial design will be used to determine the combination of task and TMS parameters (i.e., device settings) that produce the most robust and reliable behavioral effects.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

100

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 Contact

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Colorado
      • Fort Collins, Colorado, United States, 80523
        • Recruiting
        • Colorado State University Department of Psychology
        • Contact:

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 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Right-handed
  • Fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of seizures or epilepsy
  • Family history of epilepsy
  • Significant medical or neurological diagnoses
  • History of common headache or migraine
  • History of common or recent syncope
  • History of moderate/severe, multiple mild, or past 12 months head injury
  • History of psychiatric, psychological, or neurodevelopmental disorder
  • History of alcohol or recreational drug abuse or dependence
  • Current visual or hearing difficulties that interfere with cognitive testing
  • History of cochlear implants
  • Current pregnancy
  • History of metal in the head or neck (except braces and fillings)
  • Current non-removable piercings in the neck or head
  • History of implanted neurostimulator
  • History of cardiac pacemaker or intracardiac lines
  • History of medication infusion device
  • Current use of medications that increase the excitability of the brain
  • History of problems with TMS or MRI procedures
  • History of EEG for suspected epilepsy
  • Alcohol or recreational drug use in the 48 hours prior to TMS
  • Inadequate sleep in the 48 hours prior to TMS
  • Headache or feeling faint in the 24 hours prior to TMS.

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: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Sham TMS
Scalp stimulation that does not affect the brain.
Device: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive method for stimulating neurons (axons not cell bodies) in the brain.
Experimental: Active TMS
Repetitive TMS for the brain
Device: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive method for stimulating neurons (axons not cell bodies) in the brain.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Sternberg Memory Task (Accuracy)
Time Frame: Single study appointment. 1 hour. There will be no follow up.
Mean item accuracy on a computerized Sternberg memory task.
Single study appointment. 1 hour. There will be no follow up.
Sternberg Memory Task (Reaction Time)
Time Frame: Single study appointment. 1 hour. There will be no follow up.
Mean item reaction time on a computerized Sternberg memory task.
Single study appointment. 1 hour. There will be no follow up.

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Colorado State University

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)

April 20, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

January 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 20, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 22, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

September 27, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 8, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 2, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 3502

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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

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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