Clinical trial NCT02498574: Performance Enhancement and Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation
Official title: Performance Enhancement and Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Executive Function
Motor Activity
Brain Stimulation
Lead sponsor: Bruyere Research Institute
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2015-07-15
Enrollment: 121
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 35
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: FACTORIAL
Primary purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE

Brief summary: A promising form of enhancing brain function non-invasively involves stimulating the brain using weak magnetic or electric currents. This method is becoming increasingly popular in both clinical and commercial circles; a number of portable, at-home devices are available on the commercial market for personal use. In this study, the investigators aim to determine factors associated with the enhancement of cognitive and motor learning following transcranial direct-current stimulation in healthy young adults. Understanding how participants respond to brain stimulation is critical to maximizing the effectiveness of stimulation and determining its potential as a performance-enhancing aid for mental tasks. Future developments of this study may also inform the capacity of brain stimulation to act as non-drug alternative to treatment for cognitive decline.

Detailed description: This study involves a single session of anodal tDCS, applied over the motor cortex, while performing a task of motor dexterity. Pre and post stimulation evaluations will assess any effects of the stimulation on motor and cognitive performance.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Participants must be in good health,
* between 18-35 years of age
* with no prior history of neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, stroke with paralysis.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Participants with cardiac stimulators (pace-makers) and those with metal implants in the skull will be excluded.
* Pregnant women will also be excluded.

Participants will be required to fill out a brief health questionnaire to ensure that they have no conditions that would prevent brain stimulation.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in ratings on cognitive training survey
timeFrame: Baseline, Post-test following 20-minute stimulation period
measure: Change in cognitive performance
timeFrame: Baseline, Post-test following 20-minute stimulation period
measure: Change in game performance
timeFrame: Baseline, Post-test following 20-minute stimulation period
measure: Change in motor performance
timeFrame: Baseline, Post-test following 20-minute stimulation period
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Ottawa
country: Canada
facility: Bruyere Continuing Care
state: Ontario
city: Ottawa
country: Canada
facility: Bruyere Research Institute
state: Ontario
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Ottawa
name: Sheida Rabipour, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Bruyere Continuing Care
name: Francois Tremblay, PT, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: University of Ottawa
name: Patrick SR Davidson, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: