The Influence of GVS on Mental Transformation

NCT ID: NCT02979314

Last Updated: 2018-10-31

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

32 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2016-12-01

Study Completion Date

2017-05-26

Brief Summary

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Corroboratory behavioral evidence showed interaction effects between vestibular stimulation and egocentric transformation.

The investigators here examine in healthy participants, whether there are shared brain mechanisms underlying galvanic vestibular stimulation, illusory self-motion and egocentric transformation, as well as their interaction.

It is hypothesized that the GVS induced illusory self-motion dampens the ability to perform egocentric mental transformation.

Detailed Description

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Theories of embodied mental rotation suggest overlapping processes between real body and egocentric mental transformations. Corroboratory behavioral evidence showed interaction effects between vestibular stimulation and egocentric transformation. Yet, no study so far has investigated which cortical areas are involved in vestibular processing and/or illusory self-motion and mental transformation tasks within the same participants. This however seems crucial, as important individual differences exist for both mental transformation abilities as well as in subjective perception of artificial vestibular stimulation.

The primary objective is to reveal which brain area(s) are involved in the interaction of illusory self-motion (as induced by galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS)) and egocentric mental transformation, as compared to no illusory self-motion or object-based mental transformation. It is hypothesized that the GVS induced illusory self-motion dampens the ability to perform egocentric mental transformation more than object-based mental transformation.

As previous behavioral studies on such an interaction were always done in a sitting position, a secondary objective is to first replicate previous behavioral mental rotation studies that used GVS, in the Magnetic Resonance (MR) -scanner comparable setting. Moreover, as no brain imaging study so far has investigated subjective illusory motion experience induced by GVS, illusory self-motion will be measured and included in the statistical model to find specific brain regions modulating the illusory self-motion perception.

Conditions

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Focus of Study: Higher Cognition and the Vestibular System

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation

A standard placement of the electrodes will be used for GVS and sham, placed on the mastoids. Weak currents up to maximally 3 mA will be used (tested before in each participant individually, and expected mean current will be around 1.5 mA). Previous studies have used Magnetic Resonance (MR) compatible GVS without reporting any discomfort for the participants, however weak sensations of nausea could be possible and in case that they are disturbing for the participants the experiment will be aborted. Continuous stimulation for up to 30min with intensities of 1-1.5 mA is generally considered as safe and free of any considerable side effects.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation

Intervention Type DEVICE

The investigators aim to study the influence of Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation on the brain mechanisms underlying illusory self-motion and its influence on egocentric mental transformation. As a control condition sham stimulation will be applied by the same device within the same participants in different trials. Participants should not note the difference.

Interventions

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Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation

The investigators aim to study the influence of Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation on the brain mechanisms underlying illusory self-motion and its influence on egocentric mental transformation. As a control condition sham stimulation will be applied by the same device within the same participants in different trials. Participants should not note the difference.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Male
* Written informed consent by the participant
* Right handed

Exclusion Criteria

* possession of metallic implants, cardiac pacemakers, neuro-stimulators, metal splinter injuries
* claustrophobia
* no ability to lie still in the scanner, e.g. a cold leading to frequent sneezing and subsequent head movements
* history of neurological or psychiatric disorder
* hearing problems
* concomitant medication
* strong motion sensitivity
* vestibular deficits
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

55 Years

Eligible Sex

MALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Zurich

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Lars Michels, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University Hospital Zurich, Div. of Neuroradiology

Other Identifiers

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2016-00464

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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