Effect of Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation on the Performance in Language Tasks (tRNSlang)

Language is an essential part of daily life, enabling us to communicate, understand others, read, and learn. Certain brain injuries can disrupt these abilities, and current treatments do not always lead to a full recovery. To improve future therapeutic approaches, it is necessary to better understand how the brain processes language and how its activity can be modulated.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called transcranial random noise stimulation. This method involves applying a very weak electrical current to the scalp to modulate the activity of brain regions involved in language. It is commonly used in research and is considered safe when administered in accordance with current guidelines.

Healthy adult volunteers will participate in this study. Each participant will take part in two sessions spaced about a week apart. During one session, active stimulation will be used, and during the other, placebo stimulation will be used. Placebo stimulation resembles the actual stimulation but has no active effect. Neither the participants nor the researchers will know which type of stimulation is being used during each session.

During the sessions, participants will perform various language tasks, and their brain activity will be recorded using an electroencephalogram (EEG), a painless method.

This study does not provide any direct benefit to participants. The risks are low and limited to temporary sensations, such as a tingling sensation on the scalp. The results will provide a better understanding of how the brain processes language and could eventually contribute to the development of new rehabilitation approaches.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Healthy Adult Participants
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: transcranial random noise stimulation; Device: sham stimulation

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 90
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Adrian Guggisberg, MD; Phone Number: +41223723700; Email: adrian.guggisberg@hug.ch

Study Locations

• Switzerland
  • Canton of Geneva
    • Geneva, Canton of Geneva, Switzerland, 1211
      • Recruiting
      • Division of Neurorehabilitation, University Hospital of Geneva
      • Principal Investigator: Adrian G Guggisberg, MD
      • Contact: Adrian G Guggisberg, MD; Phone Number: +41223723700; Email: adrian.guggisberg@hcuge.ch

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age: 18-35 years or 60-90 years
• Native French speakers
• Right handed
• Willing and able to provide informed consent
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision and hearing

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of neurological or psychiatric disease
• Regular consumption of benzodiazepines, neuroleptics, or psychoactive drugs
• Major language deficit, developmental language disorder, arthropathies and other mechanical language impairments
• Inability to understand or follow study procedures

• Contraindications to brain stimulation, such as

  • History of epilepsy or severe migraine
  • Pacemaker or other active implants
  • Metallic objects in the head
  • Skull breach such as craniotomy
  • Pregnancy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: Younger adults; age 15-35 years	Device: transcranial random noise stimulation; active HD-tRNS; Device: sham stimulation; current will be ramped up for 30 seconds and then switched of, to mimic the subjective sensation of tRNS.
Other: Elderly adults; age 60-90 years	Device: transcranial random noise stimulation; active HD-tRNS; Device: sham stimulation; current will be ramped up for 30 seconds and then switched of, to mimic the subjective sensation of tRNS.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Composite score	composite behavioural score reflecting overall language performance across four language domains (phonological, semantic, morphosyntactic, and reading)	Periprocedural

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Phonological processing	pseudoword reading task: accuracy (% correct) and response latency (ms)	Periprocedural
Semantic processing	semantic fluency task: number of correct words produced within 1 min	Periprocedural
Morphosyntactic processing	grammaticality judgment task: accuracy (% correct) and response latency (ms)	Periprocedural
Reading speed	International reading speed test IReST: Reading time (s), words per minute, and error count	Periprocedural
Sustained attention	d2-R: standard concentration performance score and error rate (control measure)	Periprocedural

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Adrian Guggisberg

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 17, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 10, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 20, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): April 28, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 28, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 20, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: language; tRNS
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Communication; Language; Therapeutics; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Electric Stimulation Therapy; Convulsive Therapy; Psychiatric Somatic Therapies; Electroshock; Psychological Techniques; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2026-D0001

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: EEG and behavioral data
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: After publication
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Depository

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No