Priming Expectations and Motor Learning With tDCS

NCT06039605 | Completed DMC FDA Device

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00015655
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 140
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to test if priming expectations of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) can improve the efficacy of tDCS in enhancing motor learning.

Conditions

Expectations; Motor Learning

Keywords

tDCS

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Performance on motor task one week after final training session

  This will be calculated as the average of two trials of the motor task that are completed one week after the last training session, after controlling for baseline. The motor task is a timed test that requires participants to spoon two beans (kidney, raw) at a time from a center proximal "start" cup to three distal "target" cups as fast as possible. In short, this task requires multijoint coordination and limb reversal, and performance for each trial is measured in seconds.

  Change from Baseline to One-Week Follow Up visit (10 days)

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Change in motor performance over the course of training

  Three days

• Change in tDCS expectations from Day 1 to Day 7

  7 days

• Average dwell time

  10 days

• Average peak reach velocity

  10 days

• Variability in transcranial direct current stimulation expectations

  10 days

Study Arms (4)

Control

NO INTERVENTION

This group will only receive motor training, which consists of 10 trials of motor training per day across 3 days, followed by a one-week follow-up of 2 trials.

tDCS1

EXPERIMENTAL

This group will receive motor training concurrent with 20 minutes of either sham or active tDCS. Sham tDCS will be a 30-second ramp up from 0 to 2 milliamps (MA), then a 30-second ramp-down from 2 mA to 0 mA. The next 18 minutes will have no stimulation (0 mA), starting at minute 19 with 30-second ramp up from 0 to 2 milliamps (MA), then a 30-second ramp-down from 2 mA to 0 mA. Active tDCS will ramp up to 2 mA in the first 30 seconds, then stay at 2 mA for 19 minutes, then ramp down to 0 mA.

Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

tDCS2

EXPERIMENTAL

This group will first read some information about tDCS based on cited studies. They will then receive the same motor training and tDCS as the tDCS1 arm.

Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

tDCS3

EXPERIMENTAL

This group will first read some information about tDCS based on cited studies, but different cited studies than the tDCS2 arm. They will then receive the same motor training and tDCS as the tDCS1 and 2 arms.

Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Interventions

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation DEVICE

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a minimal risk, non-invasive, neuromodulatory technique that involves the emission of a weak electrical current, traditionally via the placement of two electrodes attached to the scalp of a participant. tDCS is widely used for research purposes, the US FDA considers trials of tDCS as non-significant-risk. There are several review articles supporting the safety of tDCS usage in controlled human trials. According to a published meta-analysis , the use of conventional tDCS protocols in human trials (≤40 min, ≤4 mA) has not produced any reports of a Serious Adverse Effect or irreversible injury across over 33,200 sessions.

Also known as: tDCS

tDCS1; tDCS2; tDCS3

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Must be 18 or older. Right-hand dominant
• Right-hand dominant

You may not qualify if:

• Mixed-handed or ambidextrous
• Left-hand dominant
• Seizure(s)
• Head injury resulting in a loss of consciousness that has required further investigation (including neurosurgery)
• Migraines
• Current medical diagnosis of a phycological or neurological condition
• Any metal in head (outside of mouth) such as shrapnel or surgical clips
• Any implanted devices (e.g. cardiac pacemaker, brain stimulator)
• Skin condition on scalp (e.g. psoriasis)
• Head wound that has not completely healed
• Adverse reactions to tDCS or any other brain stimulation technique (e.g. TMS, tRNS)
• Pregnant
• Currently taking prescription medications or are self-medicating (including recreational drug use), other than the contraceptive pill?

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Arizona State University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Arizona State University

Tempe, Arizona, 85281, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Officials

• Sydney Schaefer, PhD

  Arizona State University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER
• Masking Details: Participants and Research Assistants will be blinded to the groups/treatment conditions unless the participant is a "control". The investigator and/or research administration team will screen, enroll and assign participants to groups.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Participants will be assigned to one of 4 groups: control, tDCS1, tDCS2, or tDCS3.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 30, 2023
• First Posted: September 15, 2023
• Study Start: October 23, 2023
• Primary Completion: April 16, 2025
• Study Completion: April 16, 2025
• Last Updated: August 24, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)