Safety and Acute Effects of tDCS on Musical Performance in Adolescent Musicians
16 de septiembre de 2026 actualizado por: Frederico Barreto Kochem, Centro Universitário Augusto Motta
Safety, Tolerability, and Acute Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Technical, Expressive, and Stage Aspects of Musical Performance in Instrumentalists and Singers Aged 12 to 16 Years: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Proof-of-Concept Study
This randomized, sham-controlled proof-of-concept study aims to investigate the safety, tolerability, and acute effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on musical performance in adolescent instrumentalists and singers aged 12 to 16 years.
Twenty-four participants will be randomly assigned to active or sham tDCS.
Active stimulation will consist of 2.0 mA anodal tDCS applied for 30 minutes using 5 × 7 cm electrodes positioned over FCz and Fp2.
Participants will perform the same previously learned musical piece or excerpt before stimulation, immediately after stimulation, and two hours after stimulation.
Musical performances will be evaluated by blinded expert raters using a standardized performance rubric.
Safety and tolerability will be monitored using a structured symptom checklist and predefined stopping criteria.
Self-rated performance, nervousness, confidence, blinding, and protocol feasibility will also be explored.
Descripción general del estudio
Estado
Aún no reclutando
Condiciones
Intervención / Tratamiento
Descripción detallada
This randomized parallel-group pilot study will evaluate the safety, tolerability, and acute effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in adolescent musicians aged 12 to 16 years, including both instrumentalists and singers.
Twenty-four participants will be allocated in a 1:1 ratio to active or sham stimulation. Active tDCS will be delivered in a single session at 2.0 mA for 30 minutes using 5 × 7 cm electrodes, with the anode positioned over FCz and the cathode over Fp2. The sham condition will use the same electrode montage and will reproduce the initial sensations associated with stimulation without sustained current.
Participants will perform the same previously learned musical piece or excerpt at baseline, immediately after stimulation, and approximately two hours after stimulation. Performances will be audiovisually recorded, pseudonymized, randomized, and evaluated by blinded expert raters using a standardized music performance rubric. Safety and tolerability will be assessed throughout the session and during follow-up using a structured symptom checklist and predefined stopping criteria.
Participants will also provide brief 0-10 ratings of nervousness, confidence, and self-perceived musical performance. These measures are exploratory and are not intended for psychological diagnosis. The study will additionally assess the effectiveness of blinding and the feasibility of conducting a controlled tDCS protocol in adolescent musicians.
Written informed consent from a legal guardian and written assent from the adolescent will be obtained before any study procedure. Participation is voluntary and will not influence grades, artistic selection, scholarships, or continued participation in any musical program.
Tipo de estudio
Intervencionista
Inscripción (Estimado)
30
Fase
- No aplica
Contactos y Ubicaciones
Esta sección proporciona los datos de contacto de quienes realizan el estudio e información sobre dónde se lleva a cabo este estudio.
Estudio Contacto
- Nombre: Frederico Barreto Kochem, PT, Ph.D.
- Número de teléfono: +55 24 98156-9166
- Correo electrónico: frederico_kochem@hotmail.com
Ubicaciones de estudio
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Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, 21042-432
- Orquestra Maré do Amanhã
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Contacto:
- Frederico Barreto Kochem, PT, Ph.D.
- Número de teléfono: +55 24 98156-9166
- Correo electrónico: frederico_kochem@hotmail.com
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Investigador principal:
- Frederico Barreto Kochem, PT, PhD
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Investigador principal:
- Débora Cristina Lima da Silva, PT, PhD
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Sub-Investigador:
- Ricardo Galhardoni, PhD
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Sub-Investigador:
- Renato Santos de Almeida, PT, PhD
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Criterios de participación
Los investigadores buscan personas que se ajusten a una determinada descripción, denominada criterio de elegibilidad. Algunos ejemplos de estos criterios son el estado de salud general de una persona o tratamientos previos.
Criterio de elegibilidad
Edades elegibles para estudiar
- Niño
Acepta Voluntarios Saludables
Sí
Descripción
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 12 to 16 years, inclusive, at the time of enrollment.
- Regular participation in instrumental or vocal music training for at least 12 months.
- Ability to safely perform a previously learned musical piece or excerpt lasting approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
- General health status compatible with participation, confirmed through a pre-session safety screening.
- No known neurological or clinical condition considered to increase the risk associated with stimulation.
- No current use of medication or substances considered by the study team to substantially alter cortical excitability or increase procedural risk.
- Written informed consent from a legal guardian.
- Written assent from the adolescent and voluntary willingness to participate.
Exclusion Criteria:
- History of epilepsy or non-febrile seizures.
- Relevant brain injury, previous cranial surgery, or other neurological condition considered incompatible with the protocol.
- Pacemaker, implanted electronic device, neurostimulator, or cranial metallic implant that could pose a risk or interfere with stimulation.
- Current use of anticonvulsant medication or other medication considered by the study team to represent a contraindication or unacceptable precaution.
- Previous experience with tDCS when such experience could compromise blinding.
- Dermatitis, wounds, infection, burns, significant pain, or other scalp abnormalities at the planned electrode sites.
- Known or suspected pregnancy, as a precaution; pregnancy testing will not be performed as part of the study.
- Acute illness or relevant symptoms on the day of the session, including fever, significant headache, persistent dizziness, or relevant sleep deprivation, when these findings justify postponement or exclusion for safety reasons.
Plan de estudios
Esta sección proporciona detalles del plan de estudio, incluido cómo está diseñado el estudio y qué mide el estudio.
¿Cómo está diseñado el estudio?
Detalles de diseño
- Propósito principal: Otro
- Asignación: Aleatorizado
- Modelo Intervencionista: Asignación paralela
- Enmascaramiento: Triple
Armas e Intervenciones
Grupo de participantes/brazo |
Intervención / Tratamiento |
|---|---|
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Experimental: Active tDCS
Participants will receive a single session of active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) at 2.0 mA for 30 minutes, using 5 × 7 cm electrodes positioned over FCz and Fp2.
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Participants will receive a single session of active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).
Anodal stimulation will be applied over FCz with the cathodal electrode positioned over Fp2 using 5 × 7 cm electrodes.
Current will be gradually increased to 2.0 mA, maintained for 30 minutes, and gradually reduced at the end of stimulation.
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Comparador falso: Sham tDCS
Sham stimulation will reproduce the initial sensations of tDCS without sustained current delivery.
Participants will receive a single session of sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) at 2.0 mA for 30 minutes, using 5 × 7 cm electrodes positioned over FCz and Fp2.
|
Participants will receive a single session of sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).
Anodal stimulation will be applied over FCz with the cathodal electrode positioned over Fp2 using 5 × 7 cm electrodes.
An initial ramp and brief period of stimulation will reproduce the initial sensations associated with tDCS, followed by automatic discontinuation of sustained current.
Session will stop in 30 minutes.
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¿Qué mide el estudio?
Medidas de resultado primarias
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
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Safety and Tolerability of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Periodo de tiempo: Baseline (pre-stimulation); periprocedural (throughout the 30-minute stimulation session); immediately post-stimulation; 2 hours post-stimulation; and approximately 24 hours post-stimulation.
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Safety and tolerability will be assessed using a structured checklist documenting the presence and intensity of tingling/itching, warmth or burning sensation, skin redness, headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue or drowsiness, visual symptoms, and other spontaneously reported symptoms.
Stimulation interruptions, inability to complete the session, and adverse events requiring additional assessment or care will also be recorded.
The number and proportion of participants experiencing each event and its severity will be described.
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Baseline (pre-stimulation); periprocedural (throughout the 30-minute stimulation session); immediately post-stimulation; 2 hours post-stimulation; and approximately 24 hours post-stimulation.
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Change in Musical Performance Scores
Periodo de tiempo: Baseline, immediately after intervention, and 2 hours after intervention
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Musical performances will be audiovisually recorded and evaluated by blinded independent expert raters using the Rubric for the Assessment of Music Performance Achievement.
The rubric evaluates technical performance, interpretative quality, stylistic coherence, repertoire-related performance characteristics, and stage presence.
Each domain is rated from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating better musical performance.
Changes over time will be compared between the active and sham groups.
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Baseline, immediately after intervention, and 2 hours after intervention
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Medidas de resultado secundarias
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
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Change in Self-Reported Musical Performance
Periodo de tiempo: Baseline, immediately after intervention, and 2 hours after intervention
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Participants will rate their own musical performance on a numerical rating scale from 0 to 10, where 0 represents the worst possible performance that day and 10 represents the best possible performance that day.
Higher scores indicate better self-perceived performance.
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Baseline, immediately after intervention, and 2 hours after intervention
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Participant Perception of Intervention Allocation
Periodo de tiempo: At the end of the study session, approximately 2 hours after intervention
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Participants will report whether they believe they received active stimulation, sham stimulation, or whether they do not know which condition they received.
Responses will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of participant blinding.
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At the end of the study session, approximately 2 hours after intervention
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Colaboradores e Investigadores
Aquí es donde encontrará personas y organizaciones involucradas en este estudio.
Patrocinador
Colaboradores
Publicaciones y enlaces útiles
La persona responsable de ingresar información sobre el estudio proporciona voluntariamente estas publicaciones. Estos pueden ser sobre cualquier cosa relacionada con el estudio.
Publicaciones Generales
- Bikson M, Grossman P, Thomas C, Zannou AL, Jiang J, Adnan T, Mourdoukoutas AP, Kronberg G, Truong D, Boggio P, Brunoni AR, Charvet L, Fregni F, Fritsch B, Gillick B, Hamilton RH, Hampstead BM, Jankord R, Kirton A, Knotkova H, Liebetanz D, Liu A, Loo C, Nitsche MA, Reis J, Richardson JD, Rotenberg A, Turkeltaub PE, Woods AJ. Safety of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: Evidence Based Update 2016. Brain Stimul. 2016 Sep-Oct;9(5):641-661. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2016.06.004. Epub 2016 Jun 15.
- Moliadze V, Schmanke T, Andreas S, Lyzhko E, Freitag CM, Siniatchkin M. Stimulation intensities of transcranial direct current stimulation have to be adjusted in children and adolescents. Clin Neurophysiol. 2015 Jul;126(7):1392-9. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2014.10.142. Epub 2014 Oct 28.
- Anic A, Olsen KN, Thompson WF. Investigating the Role of the Primary Motor Cortex in Musical Creativity: A Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Study. Front Psychol. 2018 Oct 1;9:1758. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01758. eCollection 2018.
- Antal A, Bjekic J, Ganho-Avila A, Alekseichuk I, Assecondi S, Bergmann TO, Bikson M, Brunelin J, Brunoni AR, Charvet L, Chen R, Cohen Kadosh R, Diedrich L, D'Urso G, Ferrucci R, Filipovic SR, Fitzgerald PB, Floel A, Frohlich F, George MS, Hamilton RH, Haueisen J, Hallett M, Herrmann CS, Hummel FC, Jaberzadeh S, Langguth B, Lavidor M, Lefaucheur JP, Miniussi C, Moliadze V, Nikander M, Nikolin S, Nitsche MA, Opitz A, O'Shea J, Padberg F, Plewnia C, Priori A, Ramasawmy P, Razza LB, Rossi S, Rothwell J, Rueger MA, Ruffini G, Sack AT, Salvador R, Schellhorn K, Schuhmann T, Shirota Y, Siebner HR, Thielscher A, Ugawa Y, Uusitalo S, Wexler A, Paulus W, Vanderhasselt MA, Van Waes V, Wessel MJ, Wischnewski M, Baeken C, Ziemann U. Low intensity transcranial electric stimulation: Safety, ethical, legal regulatory and application guidelines (2017-2025: An update) - endorsed by the European Society for Brain Stimulation (ESBS) and by the International Federation for Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN). Clin Neurophysiol. 2026 Apr;184:2111436. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2025.2111436. Epub 2025 Nov 23.
- Furuya S, Klaus M, Nitsche MA, Paulus W, Altenmuller E. Ceiling effects prevent further improvement of transcranial stimulation in skilled musicians. J Neurosci. 2014 Oct 8;34(41):13834-9. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1170-14.2014.
- Buchanan DM, Bogdanowicz T, Khanna N, Lockman-Dufour G, Robaey P, D'Angiulli A. Systematic Review on the Safety and Tolerability of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Children and Adolescents. Brain Sci. 2021 Feb 10;11(2):212. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11020212.
Fechas de registro del estudio
Estas fechas rastrean el progreso del registro del estudio y los envíos de resultados resumidos a ClinicalTrials.gov. Los registros del estudio y los resultados informados son revisados por la Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina (NLM) para asegurarse de que cumplan con los estándares de control de calidad específicos antes de publicarlos en el sitio web público.
Fechas importantes del estudio
Inicio del estudio (Estimado)
1 de octubre de 2026
Finalización primaria (Estimado)
30 de diciembre de 2026
Finalización del estudio (Estimado)
31 de diciembre de 2026
Fechas de registro del estudio
Enviado por primera vez
11 de septiembre de 2026
Primero enviado que cumplió con los criterios de control de calidad
16 de septiembre de 2026
Publicado por primera vez (Actual)
17 de septiembre de 2026
Actualizaciones de registros de estudio
Última actualización publicada (Actual)
17 de septiembre de 2026
Última actualización enviada que cumplió con los criterios de control de calidad
16 de septiembre de 2026
Última verificación
1 de septiembre de 2026
Más información
Términos relacionados con este estudio
Palabras clave
Otros números de identificación del estudio
- 01375026.7.0000.5235
Plan de datos de participantes individuales (IPD)
¿Planea compartir datos de participantes individuales (IPD)?
INDECISO
Información sobre medicamentos y dispositivos, documentos del estudio
Estudia un producto farmacéutico regulado por la FDA de EE. UU.
No
Estudia un producto de dispositivo regulado por la FDA de EE. UU.
No
Esta información se obtuvo directamente del sitio web clinicaltrials.gov sin cambios. Si tiene alguna solicitud para cambiar, eliminar o actualizar los detalles de su estudio, comuníquese con register@clinicaltrials.gov. Tan pronto como se implemente un cambio en clinicaltrials.gov, también se actualizará automáticamente en nuestro sitio web. .