tDCS and Musical Performance in Young Orchestra Musicians

April 27, 2026 updated by: Frederico Barreto Kochem, Centro Universitário Augusto Motta

Acute Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Technical, Expressive, and Scenic Aspects of Musical Performance in Young Orchestra Instrumentalists: A Proof-of-Concept Study

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can improve the technical, expressive, and stage aspects of musical performance in young orchestra musicians aged 18 to 30 years. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Does active tDCS improve musical performance compared to sham stimulation?
  • Does active tDCS reduce music performance anxiety and increase musical self-efficacy? Researchers will compare the active tDCS group to the sham stimulation group to see if active stimulation has positive effects on musical performance and psychological factors.

Participants will:

  • Receive either active or sham tDCS stimulation
  • Perform a musical piece before and after stimulation
  • Complete questionnaires about anxiety and musical self-confidence

Study Overview

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This randomized pilot study aims to investigate the acute effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the technical, expressive, and stage aspects of musical performance in young orchestra instrumentalists.

A total of 24 musicians, aged 18 to 30 years, with at least three years of orchestral experience, will be randomly assigned to either an active tDCS group or a sham stimulation group. The stimulation will target the supplementary motor area (SMA) using a 2.0 mA anodal current for 30 minutes, with the cathode placed over Fp2. The sham group will undergo the same electrode placement, but the current will be turned off after 30 seconds.

The study will adopt a double-blind design, where neither participants, care providers, investigators, nor outcome assessors will know the group allocations. Each participant will perform a standardized musical piece before and after the intervention, and after a 2-hour interval post-intervention. Performances will be recorded and evaluated by independent expert judges using the Rubric for the Assessment of Music Performance Achievement.

Psychometric evaluations will be conducted using the Mazzarolo Music Performance Anxiety Scale (M-MPAS) and the General Musical Self-Efficacy Scale. Self-assessments of performance and sensations during stimulation will also be collected. Data analysis will compare changes in musical performance, anxiety, and self-efficacy between groups.

This study seeks to provide preliminary evidence on the potential of tDCS to enhance musical performance and psychological factors such as performance anxiety and self-confidence among young musicians. Safety and feasibility of the intervention will also be monitored throughout the study.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

24

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 Locations

  • Brazil
    • Rio de Janeiro
      • Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 21041-010
        • Centro Universitário Augusto Motta (UNISUAM)

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

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Musicians aged 18 to 30 years.
  • Minimum of 3 years of orchestral performance experience.
  • Active participation in a stable orchestra or ensemble.
  • No history of neurological or psychiatric disorders.
  • Not currently using psychotropic medications or recreational drugs.
  • Willingness to participate in all study sessions.
  • Signed informed consent form.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Presence of metallic implants in the head (e.g., cranial pins, aneurysm clips).
  • Presence of implanted electronic devices (e.g., pacemaker).
  • History of epilepsy or seizures.
  • Prior experience with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).
  • Scalp dermatitis or lesions at the electrode placement sites.
  • Pregnancy.

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Active tDCS
Participants will receive active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with a 2.0 mA anodal current applied over the supplementary motor area (FCz) and cathodal electrode over Fp2 for 30 minutes.
Device: Active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
2.0 mA anodal stimulation applied over FCz with cathode over Fp2 for 30 minutes using a transcranial direct current stimulation device.
Sham Comparator: Sham tDCS
Participants will receive sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with the same electrode placement as the active group; however, the current will be turned off after 30 seconds to simulate the initial sensations without delivering prolonged stimulation.
Device: Sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
Sham stimulation mimicking the sensations of tDCS; the current will be turned off after 30 seconds while maintaining electrode placement over FCz and Fp2.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Musical Performance Scores (Rubric for the Assessment of Music Performance Achievement)
Time Frame: Baseline, immediately after intervention, and 2 hours after intervention
Musical performance will be evaluated by independent expert judges using a standardized rubric assessing technical, expressive, and stage presence aspects.
Baseline, immediately after intervention, and 2 hours after intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Self-Reported Musical Performance Score (0-10 scale)
Time Frame: Baseline, immediately after intervention, and 2 hours after intervention
Participants will self-rate the quality of their musical performance on a 0 (worst) to 10 (best) scale after each recording session.
Baseline, immediately after intervention, and 2 hours after intervention
Perception of Intervention Received (Active or Sham)
Time Frame: Immediately after intervention
Participants will report whether they believe they received active stimulation or sham stimulation, to assess effectiveness of blinding.
Immediately after intervention
Music Performance Anxiety (Mazzarolo Music Performance Anxiety Scale - M-MPAS)
Time Frame: Baseline
Participants' levels of music performance anxiety will be assessed using the Mazzarolo Music Performance Anxiety Scale (M-MPAS), a validated 5-item instrument designed to measure cognitive, somatic, and behavioral symptoms of performance anxiety in musicians. Each item is rated on a 7-point Likert scale (0-6), with a total score range from 0 to 30 points. Higher scores indicate greater levels of anxiety, with scores ≥11 suggesting a tendency toward elevated performance anxiety.
Baseline
Musical Self-Efficacy (General Musical Self-Efficacy Scale)
Time Frame: Baseline
Musical self-efficacy will be assessed using the performance subscale of the General Musical Self-Efficacy Scale, composed of 11 items rated on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 ("Strongly disagree") to 7 ("Strongly agree"). The total score ranges from 11 to 77, with higher scores indicating greater self-efficacy in musical performance contexts.
Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Centro Universitário Augusto Motta

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Ricardo Galhardoni, Ph.D, Neuromodulação em Foco
  • Study Chair: Renato Santos de Almeida, Ph.D, Centro Universitário Augusto Motta
  • Principal Investigator: Débora Cristina Lima da Silva, Ph.D, Centro Universitário Augusto Motta

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

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)

June 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 30, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 27, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 27, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

May 6, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 1, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 27, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 88146925.0.0000.5235

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

It has not yet been determined whether individual participant data (IPD) will be shared. The decision will depend on future analyses, data sensitivity considerations, and publication plans.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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