Investigating Accelerated Learning in Healthy Subjects: Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to investigate whether it is possible to accelerate learning and improve associative memory performance in healthy subjects, by applying transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) targeting the trigeminal nerve during a verbal paired-associate learning task

Detailed Description
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Associative memory refers to remembering the association between two items, such as a face and a name or a word in English and the same word in another language. It is not only important for learning, but it is also one of the first aspects of memory performance that is impacted by aging and by Alzheimer׳s disease. For decades, neuroscientists have investigated associative learning and memory and ways to accelerate and enhance associative learning and memory. Transcranial Direct Current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive and painless electrical stimulation technique that has demonstrated to accelerate learning and improve memory in some studies. To investigate whether it is possible to accelerate learning and improve associative memory using tDCS, the performance in a Verbal Paired-Associate memory task of 2 groups will be compared. The first group will get active tDCS during the verbal paired-associate learning task. The second group will get sham tDCS during the verbal paired-associate learning task.

Official Title
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Investigating Accelerated Learning in Healthy Subjects

Conditions
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Healthy Adults

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation- Neuroconn DC Stimulator PLUS


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Native English Speaker Exclusion Criteria: History of severe head injuries, epileptic insults, or heart disease. Severe psychiatric disorders and severe untreated medical problems Acquainted with the foreign language used in the learning task Contraindications for tDCS (e.g. pregnant, implanted devices)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 35 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: participants will be randomly assigned to one of 2 groups: (1) active tDCS (2) sham tDCS
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Active tDCS<br>Active transcranial Direct Current Stimulation targeting the trigeminal nerve | Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation- Neuroconn DC Stimulator PLUS<br>* Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation targeting the trigeminal nerve<br>|
| Sham Comparator: Sham tDCS<br>Sham transcranial Direct Current Stimulation targeting the trigeminal nerve | Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation- Neuroconn DC Stimulator PLUS<br>* Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation targeting the trigeminal nerve<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Associative Memory Assessed by a Verbal Paired-Associate Test | Changes in performance in the Verbal Paired-Associate memory task is compared between the 2 groups (1. Active tDCS 2. Sham tDCS) to investigate the influence of tDCS on Associative Memory. | 1 week after stimualtion | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), accelerate learning, memory