Neurophysiological and Functional Mechanisms of Motor Control and Learning

NCT ID: NCT03190590

Last Updated: 2024-04-29

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 30 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2018-03-20
• Study Completion Date: 2018-07-18

Brief Summary

Noninvasive stimulation of the central nervous system, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), has been increasingly used in the investigation of cortical plasticity. The purpose of our study is to understand mechanistically-at the neurophysiological and systems levels-how the brain learns new motor skills. We propose to study the acquisition, consolidation, and retention of motor skill learning in healthy subjects. At the behavioral level, we will use movement kinematics to quantify and characterize movement, which allow us to infer functional strategies used by the brain to reduce movement errors. At a neurophysiological level, we will use TMS to document changes in cortical circuitry, which will allow us to infer neuroplastic changes possibly subserving these strategies. At a systems level, we will enhance motor system excitability using tDCS, which will enable us to infer the contribution of the stimulated area to the motor system's ability to learn new skills.

Conditions

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: DIAGNOSTIC
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Transcranial direct current stimulator (tDCS)

tDCS is delivered noninvasively via electrodes applied to the surface of the head, and a mild electrical current is given during motor training.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

tDCS-NeuroConn.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

tDCS is delivered noninvasively via electrodes applied to the surface of the head, and a mild electrical current is given during motor training.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

TMS is delivered noninvasively via a hand-held coil applied to the surface of the head, and a magnetic pulse probes cortical circuitry \[this is not repetitive TMS and so does NOT modulate brain excitability.\]

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

TMS - Magstim.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

TMS is delivered noninvasively via a hand-held coil applied to the surface of the head, and a magnetic pulse probes cortical circuitry \[this is not repetitive TMS and so does NOT modulate brain excitability

Sham-tDCS

delivered by briefly turning on and off the stimulator at the beginning of training, which mimics the sensation of true stimulation.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Sham tDCS

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

delivered by briefly turning on and off the stimulator at the beginning of training, which mimics the sensation of true stimulation.

Interventions

tDCS-NeuroConn.

tDCS is delivered noninvasively via electrodes applied to the surface of the head, and a mild electrical current is given during motor training.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

TMS - Magstim.

TMS is delivered noninvasively via a hand-held coil applied to the surface of the head, and a magnetic pulse probes cortical circuitry \[this is not repetitive TMS and so does NOT modulate brain excitability

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Sham tDCS

delivered by briefly turning on and off the stimulator at the beginning of training, which mimics the sensation of true stimulation.

Intervention Type: PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Right-handed dominance
• Ability to give informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

• active and/or chronic neurological, psychiatric (including depression), or medical conditions
• psychoactive medication use
• active drug/alcohol dependence or abuse history
• homelessness or other social situation that would preclude consistent visits
• history of head injury (including neurosurgery)
• history of seizure
• inability to comprehend or participate in the procedures involved
• metal in the head (besides in mouth), such as implanted electrodes or devices, shrapnel, surgical clips, or fragments from welding/metalwork
• implanted devices (such as cardiac pacemakers, medical pumps, or intracardiac lines) in the thorax

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

NYU Langone Health

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Heidi Schambra-Griesemer, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

NYU Langone Health

Locations

New York University School of Medicine

New York, New York, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

17-00328

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id