Sensory Synchronized Imaging and Neuromodulation

May 7, 2026 updated by: VA Office of Research and Development

Investigation of Sensory Synchronized Human Brain Imaging and Neuromodulation

The purpose of this research study is to better understand the relationship between the type of brain stimulation used and how it changes brain activity in adult military Veterans. The goal is to use this understanding to develop new, personalized brain stimulation. The investigators evaluate brain changes from different types of transcranial magnetic brain stimulation (TMS).

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

250

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
    • California
      • Palo Alto, California, United States, 94304-1207
        • VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Jessica M Ross, PhD

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Men and women, ages 18 years and up
  • English speaking
  • Military Veterans

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Those with a contraindication for MRIs (e.g. implanted metal)
  • History of head trauma with loss of consciousness
  • History of seizures or on medications that substantially reduce seizure threshold
  • Neurological or uncontrolled medical disease
  • Active substance abuse
  • Currently pregnant or breastfeeding

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: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Standard TMS
A series of standard TMS protocols will be delivered to determine target engagement compared to seTMS. TMS will be delivered using neuro-navigation based on participant's own MRI images. Intensity will be set to 120% of the participant's motor threshold. Participants will be monitored during the session for adverse events and/or side effects.
Device: TMS
transcranial magnetic brain stimulation
Active Comparator: Sensory-entrained TMS (seTMS)
Sensory entrained TMS (seTMS) is a combination of music and TMS to align brain oscillations and enhance the effects of TMS. seTMS will be delivered to determine target engagement to noninvasive seTMS brain stimulation compared to standard TMS. TMS will be delivered using neuro-navigation based on participant's own MRI images. Intensity will be set to 120% of the participant's motor threshold. Participants will be monitored during the session for adverse events and/or side effects.
Device: TMS
transcranial magnetic brain stimulation

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) / Electroencephalography (EEG) change
Time Frame: 45 minutes
Change in the TMS-EEG measure will be assessed before, during, and after each TMS session. Specifically, the difference in size of the evoked response after a single TMS pulse in the frontoparietal region will be quantified in microVolts and compared between standard TMS and sensory-entrained TMS (se-TMS).
45 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

VA Office of Research and Development

Collaborators

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Stanford University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jessica M Ross, PhD, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA

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 (Estimated)

June 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

October 1, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

October 1, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 1, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 8, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

August 12, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 11, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 7, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • MHBC-011-24F
  • 76106 (Other Identifier: VA Palo Alto Health Care System)

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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