Use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to Study Visual Attention

NCT00006285 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 00017700-M-0177
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to learn more about how the brain allows people to focus on important objects and filter out unimportant ones when looking at visual images. Our senses provide us with a vast amount of information at any given moment in time. For example, visual scenes contain many different objects that cannot be processed simultaneously because of the limited processing capacity of the brain's visual system. Evidence suggests that a a network of brain regions selects relevant information and filters out irrelevant information when people view cluttered visual scenes. This study will use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to determine how the different brain regions involved in attentional control and filtering interact. Participants in this study will undergo computer tests, an MRI scan, and TMS. During the MRI, participants will look at pictures and count objects appearing on a screen. During the TMS, participants will perform a computer test. Participants' ability to pay attention will be tested with and without TMS. Participants may be asked to return for additional tests in the future....

Conditions

Healthy

Keywords

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Parietal Lobe; fMRI; Cognition; Perception; Cortical Stimulation; Spatial Attention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• All subjects will be healthy, right-handed volunteers between the ages of 20 and 65.
• Subjects must have normal or corrected-to-normal vision.

You may not qualify if:

• Pregnant women will be excluded.
• Subjects with a personal or family history of seizures will be excluded.
• Subjects with a history of neurologic disease, ocular foreign body, increased intracranial pressure, open head injury or significant closed head injury will be excluded.
• Subjects with cochlear implants, implanted brain stimulators, aneurysm clips or other metal in the head (except mouth) will be excluded.
• Subjects taking tricyclic anti-depressants, neuroleptic agents or other drugs that lower the seizure threshold will be excluded.
• Subjects with a history of illicit drug use or who are abusing or withdrawing from alcohol abuse will be excluded.
• Subjects with a history of a major psychiatric disorder will be excluded.
• Subjects with implanted medication pumps, pacemakers, intracardiac lines or significant heart disease will be excluded.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): lead

Study Sites (1)

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Ashbridge E, Walsh V, Cowey A. Temporal aspects of visual search studied by transcranial magnetic stimulation. Neuropsychologia. 1997 Aug;35(8):1121-31. doi: 10.1016/s0028-3932(97)00003-1.

  PMID: 9256377 BACKGROUND

• Amassian VE, Cracco RQ, Maccabee PJ, Cracco JB, Rudell AP, Eberle L. Transcranial magnetic stimulation in study of the visual pathway. J Clin Neurophysiol. 1998 Jul;15(4):288-304. doi: 10.1097/00004691-199807000-00002.

  PMID: 9736464 BACKGROUND

• Chen R, Gerloff C, Classen J, Wassermann EM, Hallett M, Cohen LG. Safety of different inter-train intervals for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and recommendations for safe ranges of stimulation parameters. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol. 1997 Dec;105(6):415-21. doi: 10.1016/s0924-980x(97)00036-2.

  PMID: 9448642 BACKGROUND

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Sponsor Type: NIH

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 16, 2000
• First Posted: September 18, 2000
• Study Start: September 14, 2000
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2002
• Study Completion: April 1, 2002
• Last Updated: July 2, 2017

Record last verified: 2009-06-08

Locations

US (1)