Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Antisocial Behavior

NCT04204759 | Unknown

• 1 other identifier: IRB-2019-06-072
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 101
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The main objective of this study is to investigate the causal relationship between prefrontal cortex activity and antisocial behavior, as well as risk factors for antisocial behavior. Specifically, this study tests the hypothesis that upregulating activity in the prefrontal cortex through a non-invasive form of brain stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will reduce antisocial and aggressive behavior. The effects of 3 days of anodal stimulation over the prefrontal cortex are assessed.

Conditions

Aggression

Keywords

transcranial direct curren stimulation; antisocial behavior

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Points in the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm after stimulation

  The number of points earned on the lab task will be assessed.

  Within 1 hour after the third consecutive active tDCS or sham session

• Antisocial behavior inclinations after stimulation

  This will be assessed using 5 hypothetical scenarios in which someone commits a criminal or antisocial act. Participants will respond to the likelihood that they would commit the act in the scenario according to a 10-point Likert scale. Responses are measured on a scale ranging from zero (no chance at all) to 10 (100% chance). A higher value reflects a greater intention to engage in the antisocial act.

  Within 1 hour after the third consecutive active tDCS or sham session

• Moral judgment ratings after stimulation

  This will be assessed using 5 hypothetical scenarios in which someone commits a criminal or antisocial act. Participants will rate the moral wrongfulness of the act in the scenario on a scale from 0 (not at all) to 10 (very). A higher score reflects a greater perception of moral wrongfulness regarding the antisocial act.

  Within 1 hour after the third consecutive active tDCS or sham session

• Delay discounting rates after stimulation

  Participants' responses to 5 questions indicating if they would prefer a smaller reward today or a larger reward in the specified number of days will be assessed. The delay discount rates (k) of monetary rewards will be calculated based on the responses to the 5 trials.

  Within 1 hour after the third consecutive active tDCS or sham session

• Helping behavior after stimulation

  This will be assessed based on the number of easy and hard puzzles participants choose to assign to another participant in the study.

  Within 1 hour after the third consecutive active tDCS or sham session

• Antisocial behavior after stimulation

  This will be assessed based on the participants' accurate reporting of the number of problems correctly solved in a task.

  Within 1 hour after the third consecutive active tDCS or sham session

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Number of participants with adverse events

  Within 1 hour after each of the 20-minute active tDCS or sham sessions

Study Arms (2)

Anodal stimulation

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the active stimulation group will undergo anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS will be delivered by a battery-driven, constant-current stimulator connected to two saline-soaked surface sponge electrodes. An anodal electrode (25cm2) will be placed over the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and one cathodal electrode (35cm2) will be placed over the occipital cortex. Scalp electrodes will be positioned according to the 10-20 EEG international system. A current of 2mA will be applied for 20 minutes and the current will be ramped up and down over 30 seconds at the beginning and end of the stimulation period.

Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation

Sham stimulation

SHAM COMPARATOR

The sham tDCS condition will involve the same placement of the electrodes, current intensity, and ramp-up/down time as the active tDCS condition, but stimulation will only last for 30 seconds.

Device: Sham transcranial direct current stimulation

Interventions

Transcranial direct current stimulation DEVICE

Non-invasive stimulation will be conducted using a tDCS device (StarStim, Neuroelectrics, Spain).

Anodal stimulation

Sham transcranial direct current stimulation DEVICE

The same device will be used as in the active stimulation group, but stimulation will be terminated after 30 seconds.

Sham stimulation

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Above 18 (with parental consent) or above 21 (without parental consent)
• Able to understand the nature of the study and give informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• History of or active neurologic, cardiovascular, or psychiatric disease including anxiety disorders (e.g., PTSD, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder) and mood disorders (e.g., depression)
• Currently consuming anti-convulsant, anti-psychotic, or sedative/hypnotic medications
• Currently consuming anti-depressants
• History of seizures
• Metallic implants on scalp
• Participated in any other non-invasive brain stimulation study in the same day
• Ever had an adverse reaction to tDCS

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Nanyang Technological University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Nanyang Technological University

Singapore, 639818, Singapore

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Aggression; Antisocial Personality Disorder

Interventions

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Aberrant Motor Behavior in Dementia; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior; Social Behavior; Personality Disorders; Mental Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Electric Stimulation Therapy; Therapeutics; Convulsive Therapy; Psychiatric Somatic Therapies; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Electroshock; Psychological Techniques

Study Officials

• Olivia Choy, PhD

  Nanyang Technological University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 17, 2019
• First Posted: December 19, 2019
• Study Start: November 3, 2019
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2022
• Study Completion: December 31, 2023
• Last Updated: October 18, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

SG (1)