The Role of Different Prefrontal Areas in Visual Metacognition

NCT04263766 | Completed Results

• 2 other identifiers: H200335R01MH119189
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 76
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The study will use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate the causal role of different brain regions during visual perception. TMS is a well-established technique used by hundreds of labs in the world. The risks associated with the technique are well understood and can be minimized by strict adherence to established safety guidelines. In the proposed study, the investigators will use TMS to specifically address the topic of how metacognitive evaluation is supported by the two prefrontal areas: the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC). The data will be collected from healthy adults and will ultimately deepen the investigator's understanding of the mechanisms behind the normal processes related to confidence generation and metacognition.

Conditions

Healthy

Keywords

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Metacognition; Prefrontal Cortex

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Average Confidence Difference With the 0 ms Condition

  The average confidence difference for each delay condition and the 0 ms condition for each group (DLPFC or vertex). Confidence was self-reported together with the decision on a 4-point scale with the minimum score being one (not confident at all) and the highest score being four (very confident). The range of the scale is 1 (not confident at all) to 4 (very confident).

  6 months

• Average Mratio Difference With the 0 ms Condition

  The average Mratio difference for each delay condition and the 0 ms condition for each group (DLPFC or vertex). The Mratio is derived from signal detection theoretical modeling of the observer's decision and confidence response. It is the ratio of two measures: the observer's metacognitive sensitivity (meta-d', the ability to discriminate between correct and incorrect responses) and the observer's stimulus sensitivity (d', the ability to discriminate between the two stimulus classes). The Mratio could be calculated from subjects' self-rated confidence together with task performance.

  6 month

Study Arms (1)

Healthy Adult Volunteers

EXPERIMENTAL

The experiment has a within-subject design where each subject will receive TMS to different brain areas. The analysis will involve comparing the effects of TMS to different regions.

Other: Transcranial magnetic stimulation

Interventions

Transcranial magnetic stimulation OTHER

TMS will be delivered to different brain areas in order to establish their contribution to visual metacognition.

Healthy Adult Volunteers

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 40 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• right-handed
• adults 18-40
• with normal or corrected-to-normal vision

You may not qualify if:

• history of seizures
• family history of epilepsy
• stroke
• severe headaches
• metal anywhere in the head (excluding the mouth)
• cardiac pacemakers
• current use of medication for neurological or psychiatric conditions

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Georgia Institute of Technology: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Center for Advance Brain Imaging

Atlanta, Georgia, 30332, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Magnetic Field Therapy; Therapeutics

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Dr. Dobromir Rahnev
• Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

rahnev@psych.gatech.edu

6466378219

Study Officials

• Dobromir A. Rahnev, Ph.D.

  Georgia Institute of Technology

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

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

Model Details: TMS manipulation. Within-subjects design. Each participant will receive TMS to three different sites: DLPFC, aPFC, and a control site.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 7, 2020
• First Posted: February 11, 2020
• Study Start: February 22, 2022
• Primary Completion: August 31, 2022
• Study Completion: August 31, 2022
• Last Updated: September 15, 2023
• Results First Posted: September 15, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)