Clinical trial NCT04290533: HD-tDCS Over the dACC in High Trait Impulsivity
Official title: HD-tDCS Over the dACC in High Trait Impulsivity
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Impulsive Behavior
Keywords: Impulsivity
HD-tDCS
dACC
ERN
Go/NoGo
MSIT
Lead sponsor: Monash University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Erasmus University Rotterdam
name: ZonMw: The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development
First posted: 2020-03-02
Enrollment: 23
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 55
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Primary purpose: DEVICE_FEASIBILITY

Brief summary: Psychological disorders characterized by impulsivity often show alterations in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) activity. Recent research has therefore focused on non-invasive neurostimulation therapies for the modulation of functional activity in the dACC. To date there has only been one proof-of-concept study providing evidence for modulating dACC activity with non-invasive electrical neurostimulation (e.g. transcranial electrical stimulation). Since transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is relatively safe, tolerable, and mobile as compared to other neurostimulation techniques, it is worthwhile looking further into the effects of tDCS on functional dACC activity. The aim of the present research is to explore whether HD-tDCS can induce changes in the dACC in individuals with high trait impulsivity (N=20) in a double-blind cross-over study. Functional changes in dACC activity will be measured by the error related negativity (ERN), which is an event related potential generated by the dACC. The ERN is less pronounced in people that score high on impulsivity. It is therefore expect enhanced ERN amplitudes after HD-tDCS over the dACC. In addition, performance on the multisource interference task will be used as measure of dACC activity. It is hypothesize that increased dACC activity will be related to decreased impulsivity in high impulsive individuals as shown by improved inhibitory control on the Go/NoGo task. The results of the study may have implications for patient populations that are characterized by impulsivity.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Right-handed
* Score \> 46 on SUPPS-P

Exclusion Criteria:

* Score low on trait impulsivity as determined by a score of \< 47 on the SUPPS-P short form
* History of DSM-5 defined neurological illness, mental illness or traumatic brain injury,
* Currently taking any psychoactive medications,
* Have metal anywhere in the head, except the mouth. This includes metallic objects such as screws, plates and clips from surgical procedures.
* Currently pregnant or lactating,
* Being left-handed

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in error related negativity (ERN) measured by electroencephalography (EEG) after active and sham HD-tDCS
timeFrame: Baseline, directly after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS, and 30 min after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS.
measure: Change in NoGo N2 measured by electroencephalography (EEG)
timeFrame: Baseline, directly after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS, and 30 min after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS.
measure: Change in NoGo P3 measured by electroencephalography (EEG) after active and sham HD-tDCS
timeFrame: Baseline, directly after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS, and 30 min after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS.
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Change in percentage of correct nogo trials on Go/NoGo task after active vs. sham HD-tDCS
timeFrame: Baseline, directly after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS, and 30 min after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS.
measure: Change in reaction times on Go trials during Go/NoGo task after active vs. sham HD-tDCS
timeFrame: Baseline, directly after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS, and 30 min after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS.
measure: Change in reaction times post incorrect trials during Go/NoGo task after active vs. sham HD-tDCS
timeFrame: Baseline, directly after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS, and 30 min after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS.
measure: Change in interference effect on multisource interference task (MSIT) after active vs. sham HD-tDCS
timeFrame: Baseline, directly after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS, and 30 min after (active vs. sham) HD-tDCS.
Other outcomes:
measure: Trait impulsivity as measured by the The Short Version of the Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance, Sensation Seeking and Positive Urgency Impulsive behaviour scale (SUPPS-P)
timeFrame: Baseline
measure: Obsessional Behaviour Questionnaire-44 (OBQ-44)
timeFrame: Baseline
measure: Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS-12)
timeFrame: Baseline
measure: Demographic information
timeFrame: Baseline
Locations:
city: Melbourne
country: Australia
facility: Monash University, BrainPark
state: Victoria
Study officials:
References:
citation: Verveer I, Hill AT, Franken IHA, Yucel M, van Dongen JDM, Segrave R. Modulation of control: Can HD-tDCS targeting the dACC reduce impulsivity? Brain Res. 2021 Apr 1;1756:147282. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147282. Epub 2021 Jan 28.