Multifocal HD-tDCS and Motor Function

February 14, 2026 updated by: Michael Vesia, PhD, University of Michigan

Personalizing Multifocal Transcranial Direct Stimulation Dose to Target the Motor Network in Older Adults

The purpose of this study is to understand how the brain controls movement and how Non-invasive Brain Stimulation (NIBS) with a technique called High-density transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) can alter brain processes to improve behavior. Participants in this study will be randomized to either HD-tDCS with standard intervention or personalized dose-controlled multifocal network-targeted HD-tDCS.

The hypothesis is that dexterous hand function will improve after a standard HD-tDCS dose and increase even more after personalized dose-controlled multifocal network-targeted HD-tDCS.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This project is the first of two projects. The second project will be registered as a separate project in the future and enroll participants from this project.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

40

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
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109
        • Recruiting
        • University of Michigan
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Michael Vesia, 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

  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Participants should be in good health with normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity
  • Right handed
  • No history of neurological disorder
  • English speaker
  • Able to provide written consent prior to admission

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Left-handed
  • Participants are pregnant, suspect pregnancy or are attempting to become pregnant
  • Have a pacemaker, intracardiac lines or any other medically implanted device or medicine pump
  • Have cochlear hearing implants
  • Taking drugs known to influence neural receptors that facilitate neuroplasticity (see protocol)
  • Have non removable body piercings or have foreign objects in body
  • Have metal anywhere in the head that could increase risk of serious injury (not including braces, dental fillings, etc.) (see protocol)
  • Have a personal or family history of seizure/epilepsy
  • Taking prescription drugs that lower the threshold for seizures
  • Recent history of excessive alcohol consumption
  • History of alcohol addiction/dependence
  • Recent history of recreational drug use
  • History of drug addiction/dependence
  • Recent history of recreational drug use
  • History of drug addiction/dependence
  • Diagnosed with a stroke, brain hemorrhage, brain tumor, encephalitis.
  • Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
  • Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease
  • Diagnosed with depression in the past 6 months
  • Diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia, manic depressive (bipolar) disorder
  • Diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus or increased intra-cranial pressure
  • Diabetes requiring insulin treatment
  • Any serious heart disorder or liver disease

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: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: HD-tDCS with standard intervention
Participants will have three daily sessions.
Device: Standard HD-tDCS intervention
Participants will have three sessions along with behavioral assessments.
Device: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
Participants will have an MRI before or after having HD-tDCS intervention.
Experimental: Personalized dose-controlled multifocal network-targeted HD-tDCS.
Participants will have three daily sessions.
Device: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
Participants will have an MRI before or after having HD-tDCS intervention.
Device: Multifocal network targeted HD-tDCS intervention
Participants will have three sessions along with behavioral assessments.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percent change in precision force-tracking task
Time Frame: Baseline and 24 hours after the third sessions are completed
Squared distance (error) from the cursor to the target in precision force-tracking task, estimated as the root mean squared error (RMSE).
Baseline and 24 hours after the third sessions are completed
Percentage change in the time to complete the nine-hole peg test (9-HPT)
Time Frame: Baseline and 24 hours after the third sessions are completed
9-hole peg test is a manual dexterity measure, estimated as the time required to complete the task (seconds).
Baseline and 24 hours after the third sessions are completed

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percentage change in the mean choice reaction time
Time Frame: Baseline and 24 hours after the third sessions are completed
Mean reaction time for subjects responding in the 2-choice reaction time control task, for correct responses
Baseline and 24 hours after the third sessions are completed

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Michigan

Collaborators

Medical University of South Carolina
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Michael Vesia, PhD, University of Michigan

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)

February 25, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

January 25, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 25, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 16, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 16, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

August 19, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

February 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 14, 2026

Last Verified

February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • HUM00250171
  • 5P2CHD086844-10 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

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

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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