Mechanistic Validation of Human Multipolar TES-TI: Amplitude Modulation, Frequency, and Benchmarking (MINT)

August 3, 2026 updated by: University of Wisconsin, Madison
This study is to find out whether and how a type of non-invasive electrical brain stimulation called transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference (TES-TI) can temporarily change brain activity in healthy adults. A structural MRI scan will be used to customize where the stimulation electrodes are placed for each participant to deliver TES-TI during three afternoon sessions at rest with eyes closed. Brain activity is recorded with high-density EEG. Up to 24 participants will be enrolled and on study for 3 to 12 weeks.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This is an experimental study using a within-subject, single-blind, randomized, counterbalanced crossover design in which each participant serves as their own control. Healthy adults will complete (or provide an existing) structural MRI scan (T1/T2) to support individualized electric-field modeling and personalized montage optimization for thalamic targeting, followed by three afternoon stimulation sessions with simultaneous high-density EEG during eyes-closed wakefulness; sessions will be scheduled on separate days at least one week apart. Each session includes four stimulation conditions administered in randomized/counterbalanced order, with each condition consisting of a fixed 3-minute pre-stimulation baseline, 3-minute stimulation period, and 3-minute post-stimulation recording to enable STIM-PRE and POST-PRE comparisons.

  • Session A tests amplitude-modulation specificity (in-phase mTI, a mixed unipolar+HF condition with the same montage/current, a carrier-only HF control, and sham)
  • Session B benchmarks in-phase mTI against unipolar TES-TI at 5 mA and 8 mA (plus sham); and
  • Session C characterizes frequency dependence of in-phase mTI (10, 50, 130 Hz; plus sham).

Primary Objectives:

  1. Determine whether active multipolar TES-TI (mTI) produces envelope-driven EEG effects (primary contrast: STIM-PRE) by comparing in-phase mTI to SHAM, to a carrier-only no-envelope high-frequency (HF) control, and to a mixed unipolar+HF condition (same montage/current; one pair as unipolar TES-TI producing an AM envelope, the other pair as a non-interacting HF carrier with no envelope contribution).
  2. Benchmark mTI against unipolar TES-TI across stimulation intensity by comparing in-phase mTI to unipolar TES-TI at 5 mA and 8 mA, each evaluated relative to SHAM (primary contrast: STIM-PRE), and estimating effect sizes to inform future study design.

  3. Characterize envelope-frequency dependence of in-phase mTI effects by comparing EEG spectral power changes across 10, 50, and 130 Hz conditions (each relative to SHAM; primary contrast: STIM-PRE).

    Secondary Objectives:

  4. Assess persistence of stimulation-related EEG changes by quantifying post-stimulation effects (POST-PRE) across conditions (in-phase, mixed unipolar+HF, HF, unipolar) and sessions

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 Contact

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Wisconsin
      • Madison, Wisconsin, United States, 53706
        • University of Wisconsin - Madison

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:

  • Medically healthy (based on self-report and study team review)
  • U.S. citizen or holding permanent resident status
  • English-speaking (able to provide consent and complete questionnaires)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current or past history of clinically significant neurological disorder or acquired neurological disease (e.g., stroke, traumatic brain injury), including intracranial lesions (including clinically significant findings identified on the structural MRI)
  • History of inpatient psychiatric hospitalization
  • History of head trauma resulting in prolonged loss of consciousness; or a history of >3 grade I concussions
  • Current poorly controlled headaches, including intractable or frequent migraines
  • Any systemic illness or unstable medical condition that may cause a medical emergency in case of a provoked seizure (cardiac malformation, cardiac dysrhythmia, asthma, etc.)
  • History of seizures, diagnosis of epilepsy, history of abnormal (epileptiform) EEG, or family history of treatment resistant epilepsy except for a single seizure of benign etiology (e.g. febrile seizures) in the judgment of a board-certified neurologist
  • Possible pregnancy or plan to become pregnant in the next 6 months (self reported)
  • Any metal in the head
  • Any medical devices or implants (i.e. cardiac pacemaker, medication infusion pump, cochlear implant, vagal nerve stimulator)
  • Dental implants
  • Permanent retainers
  • Any hair braid, dreadlocks, hair pieces, or extensions which cannot be taken out before the study sessions
  • Any head coverings or headdress that participant feels uncomfortable removing for the purposes of study sessions
  • Current use of medications known to substantially lower seizure threshold, specifically chlorpromazine, clozapine, bupropion, clomipramine, or maprotiline; or other medications at doses known to substantially lower seizure threshold in the judgment of the PI
  • Active scalp lesions, broken skin, or skin conditions at planned electrode sites that would preclude safe electrode application
  • Claustrophobia (a fear of small or closed places)
  • Back problems that would prevent lying flat for up to two hours

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: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Session A: Amplitude Modulation Specificity

hdEEG setup; eyes-closed wakefulness 4 conditions in randomized order:

  • in-phase mTI (10 Hz)
  • mixed unipolar+HF
  • HF control (no envelope)
  • SHAM PRE 3 min / STIM 3 min / POST 3 min per condition

Adverse events assessment
Device: TES-TI with hdEEG
4 conditions per session. Each condition will follow a standardized block structure consisting of 3 minutes pre-stimulation baseline, 3 minutes stimulation, and 3 minutes post-stimulation recording (PRE, STIM, POST)
Other Names:
  • transcranial electrical stimulation
  • mTI
  • High-Density Electroencephalography
Experimental: Session B: Benchmarking

hdEEG setup; eyes-closed wakefulness 4 conditions in randomized order:

  • in-phase mTI (10 Hz)
  • unipolar TES-TI 5 mA
  • unipolar TES-TI 8 mA
  • SHAM PRE 3 min / STIM 3 min / POST 3 min per condition

Adverse events assessment
Device: TES-TI with hdEEG
4 conditions per session. Each condition will follow a standardized block structure consisting of 3 minutes pre-stimulation baseline, 3 minutes stimulation, and 3 minutes post-stimulation recording (PRE, STIM, POST)
Other Names:
  • transcranial electrical stimulation
  • mTI
  • High-Density Electroencephalography
Experimental: Session C: Frequency Dependence

hdEEG setup; eyes-closed wakefulness 4 conditions in randomized order:

  • in-phase mTI at 10 Hz
  • in-phase mTI at 50 Hz
  • in-phase mTI at 130 Hz
  • SHAM PRE 3 min / STIM 3 min / POST 3 min per condition

Adverse events assessment
Device: TES-TI with hdEEG
4 conditions per session. Each condition will follow a standardized block structure consisting of 3 minutes pre-stimulation baseline, 3 minutes stimulation, and 3 minutes post-stimulation recording (PRE, STIM, POST)
Other Names:
  • transcranial electrical stimulation
  • mTI
  • High-Density Electroencephalography

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in band-limited, topography-resolved EEG spectral power during stimulation for conditions in Session A
Time Frame: data collected for 3 minutes prior to stimulation and 3 minutes during stimulation for each of 4 conditions during Session A (approximately 3 hours long)
Change in band-limited, topography-resolved EEG spectral power during stimulation (STIM-PRE) for in-phase mTI compared to SHAM, HF control, and the mixed unipolar+HF condition.
data collected for 3 minutes prior to stimulation and 3 minutes during stimulation for each of 4 conditions during Session A (approximately 3 hours long)
Change in band-limited, topography-resolved EEG spectral power during stimulation for conditions in Session B
Time Frame: data collected for 3 minutes prior to stimulation and 3 minutes during stimulation for each of 4 conditions during Session B (approximately 3 hours long)
Change in band-limited, topography-resolved EEG spectral power during stimulation (STIM-PRE) for in-phase mTI compared to unipolar TES-TI at 5 mA, and 8 mA, relative to SHAM.
data collected for 3 minutes prior to stimulation and 3 minutes during stimulation for each of 4 conditions during Session B (approximately 3 hours long)
Change in band-limited, topography-resolved EEG spectral power during stimulation for conditions in Session C
Time Frame: data collected for 3 minutes prior to stimulation and 3 minutes during stimulation for each of 4 conditions during Session C (approximately 3 hours long)
Change in band-limited, topography-resolved EEG spectral power during stimulation (STIM-PRE) for in-phase mTI at 10 Hz, 50 Hz, and 130 Hz, relative to SHAM.
data collected for 3 minutes prior to stimulation and 3 minutes during stimulation for each of 4 conditions during Session C (approximately 3 hours long)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in band-limited, topography-resolved EEG spectral power in the post-stimulation interval (POST-PRE) across all tested conditions
Time Frame: data collected for 3 minutes prior to stimulation and 3 minutes post stimulation for each of 4 conditions during each of 3 sessions (each session is approximately 3 hours long, with at least one week between sessions)
Change in band-limited, topography-resolved EEG spectral power in the post-stimulation interval (POST-PRE) across all tested conditions (in-phase mTI, mixed unipolar+HF, HF control, unipolar 5 mA, unipolar 8 mA; and 10/50/130 Hz where applicable), each evaluated relative to SHAM.
data collected for 3 minutes prior to stimulation and 3 minutes post stimulation for each of 4 conditions during each of 3 sessions (each session is approximately 3 hours long, with at least one week between sessions)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Larissa Albantakis, PhD, UW School of Medicine and Public Health

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.

Helpful Links

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)

September 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

February 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

February 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 3, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 3, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 3, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2026-1006
  • Protocol Version (Other Identifier: UW Madison)
  • SMPH | Psychiatry (Other Identifier: UW Madison)
  • R&D funding (Other Grant/Funding Number: UW Madison Dept. of Psychiatry)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

In accordance with UW-Madison data-sharing expectations, the study team intends to support sharing of de-identified scientific data collected during this project to the extent feasible. Sharing, if performed, will occur after the primary outcome results are published and may take the form of deposit in a controlled-access scientific repository, release on an open-access scientific data platform (e.g., OpenNeuro or similar), or response to requests from qualified researchers. The choice of sharing mechanism, repository, and timing will be determined by the study team consistent with funder requirements, UW-Madison policy, and participant consent, and it is possible that no sharing will occur if none of these options is consistent with those requirements.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

after primary outcomes are published

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP

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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