Exploring the Relationship Between Brain Asymmetry and Attention

NCT03789201 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 19003619-N-0036
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 45
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Background: People tend to pay more attention to one side of space than the other and this may be due to differences in the structure and function of the two sides of the brain. We are interested in whether we can detect those difference with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and electroencephalography (EEG). Objective: The purpose of the study is to understand how differences in brain structure may cause people to pay more attention to one side than the other. Eligibility: Healthy adults ages 18-35 Design: Participants will be screened with a neurological exam. Participants will have 2-3 visits for a total duration of about 7/8 hours. Women of childbearing age must have a negative pregnancy test before each MRI scan. Visits may include: Physical exam Tests of attention, and thinking TMS. A brief electrical current will pass through a wire coil on the scalp. Participants will hear a click and may feel a pull. They may be asked to tense muscles or do tasks. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan for a maximum of 1 hour. Participants will lie on a table that slides into a cylinder in a strong magnetic field. They will do tasks on a computer screen or lie still. They will get earplugs for loud noise. EEG for no longer than 5 hours, with most lasting 3 hours. Gel and a cap with electrodes will be placed on the scalp. They will record brain waves while the participant gets TMS or does nothing. Questions about participants dominant hand and about the MRI.

Conditions

Normal Physiology

Keywords

TMS-Evoked Potential; TMS; fMRI; Behavior; Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Exploratory sub-studies under this protocol will answer questions about how to optimize EEG recordings of the cortical response to TMS.

  Response to TMS

  20 visits

Study Arms (1)

Healthy Volunteers

EXPERIMENTAL

thematic permission to use non-invasive techniques regarded as having minimal risk in healthy individuals, such as, MRI, EEG, EMG, low-frequency stimulation (= 1 Hz), electrical stimulation of the skin to mimic the somatosensory artifact of TMS, and behavioral tests

Device: TMS EEG; Device: TMS fMRI

Interventions

TMS EEG DEVICE

attempt to use TMS EEG to measure connectivity between cortical areas

Healthy Volunteers

TMS fMRI DEVICE

compare measurements to established functional connectivity measures; e.g., EEG coherence and fMRI

Healthy Volunteers

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Age 18 and older
• Able to provide consent
• For some sub-studies, we may limit participation by handedness or eye dominance.

You may not qualify if:

• Any current major neurological or psychiatric disorder, such as, (but not limited to) stroke, Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, schizophrenia or major depression
• Findings on neurological examination indicative of significant brain disease
• Individuals with significant health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, malignancy, or connective tissue disorder
• History of seizure, defined as a diagnosis by a health care provider of one or more epileptic seizures or an anecdotal history which, in the opinion of the PI, is suggestive of epileptic seizure. Any individual who answers other than negatively to the question, Have you ever had an epileptic seizure on screening will be questioned directly by the PI
• Current oral use of a medication that lowers the seizure threshold such as neuroleptics, beta lactams, isoniazid, metronidazole, tricyclic or other antidepressants, or prescription stimulants
• Individuals regularly taking medications that cause significant psychomotor activation or depression, e.g., stimulants and CNS depressant drugs such as benzodiazepines, will be excluded.
• For MRI studies: Any metal in the body which would make having an MRI scan unsafe, such as pacemakers, stimulators, pumps, aneurysm clips, metallic prostheses, artificial heart valves, cochlear implants or shrapnel fragments, any individual who was a welder or metal worker. Participants will also be excluded if they are uncomfortable in small closed spaces (i.e. claustrophobia) or are not able to lie comfortably on their back for up to two hours
• Pregnancy or plans to become pregnant in the next two months
• Members of the Behavioral Neurology Unit, NINDS
• Use of illegal drugs in the past year
• Consumption of more than 7 alcoholic drinks a week for females or 14 alcoholic drinks a week for males.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS): lead

Study Sites (1)

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

Location

Related Links

• NIH Clinical Center Detailed Web Page

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Behavior

Study Officials

• Eric M Wassermann, M.D.

  National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: NIH
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 27, 2018
• First Posted: December 28, 2018
• Study Start: February 28, 2019
• Primary Completion: October 24, 2022
• Study Completion: October 24, 2022
• Last Updated: October 26, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-10-24

Locations

US (1)