tDCS and Musical Performance in Young Orchestra Musicians

NCT06958081 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 88146925.0.0000.5235
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 24
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can improve the technical, expressive, and stage aspects of musical performance in young orchestra musicians aged 18 to 30 years. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does active tDCS improve musical performance compared to sham stimulation?
• Does active tDCS reduce music performance anxiety and increase musical self-efficacy? Researchers will compare the active tDCS group to the sham stimulation group to see if active stimulation has positive effects on musical performance and psychological factors. Participants will:
• Receive either active or sham tDCS stimulation
• Perform a musical piece before and after stimulation
• Complete questionnaires about anxiety and musical self-confidence

Conditions

Neuromodulation; Performance Anxiety; Musical Performance

Keywords

tDCS; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; Music Performance; Motor Control; Self-Efficacy; Anxiety

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Musical Performance Scores (Rubric for the Assessment of Music Performance Achievement)

  Musical performance will be evaluated by independent expert judges using a standardized rubric assessing technical, expressive, and stage presence aspects.

  Baseline, immediately after intervention, and 2 hours after intervention

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Change in Self-Reported Musical Performance Score (0-10 scale)

  Baseline, immediately after intervention, and 2 hours after intervention

• Music Performance Anxiety (Mazzarolo Music Performance Anxiety Scale - M-MPAS)

  Baseline

• Musical Self-Efficacy (General Musical Self-Efficacy Scale)

  Baseline

• Perception of Intervention Received (Active or Sham)

  Immediately after intervention

Study Arms (2)

Active tDCS

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with a 2.0 mA anodal current applied over the supplementary motor area (FCz) and cathodal electrode over Fp2 for 30 minutes.

Device: Active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

Sham tDCS

SHAM COMPARATOR

Participants will receive sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with the same electrode placement as the active group; however, the current will be turned off after 30 seconds to simulate the initial sensations without delivering prolonged stimulation.

Device: Sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

Interventions

Active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) DEVICE

2.0 mA anodal stimulation applied over FCz with cathode over Fp2 for 30 minutes using a transcranial direct current stimulation device.

Active tDCS

Sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) DEVICE

Sham stimulation mimicking the sensations of tDCS; the current will be turned off after 30 seconds while maintaining electrode placement over FCz and Fp2.

Sham tDCS

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 30 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Musicians aged 18 to 30 years.
• Minimum of 3 years of orchestral performance experience.
• Active participation in a stable orchestra or ensemble.
• No history of neurological or psychiatric disorders.
• Not currently using psychotropic medications or recreational drugs.
• Willingness to participate in all study sessions.
• Signed informed consent form.

You may not qualify if:

• Presence of metallic implants in the head (e.g., cranial pins, aneurysm clips).
• Presence of implanted electronic devices (e.g., pacemaker).
• History of epilepsy or seizures.
• Prior experience with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).
• Scalp dermatitis or lesions at the electrode placement sites.
• Pregnancy.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Centro Universitário Augusto Motta: lead

Study Sites (1)

Centro Universitário Augusto Motta (UNISUAM)

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21041-010, Brazil

Location

Related Publications (6)

• Álvarez-Díaz M, Muñiz-Bascón LM, Soria-Alemany A, Veintimilla-Bonet A, Fernández-Alonso R. On the design and validation of a rubric for the evaluation of performance in a musical contest. International Journal of Music Education. 2021;39(1):66-79. doi:10.1177/0255761420936443

  BACKGROUND

• Mazzarolo I, Schubert E. A Short Performance Anxiety Scale for Musicians. Front Psychol. 2022 Jan 26;12:781262. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.781262. eCollection 2021.

  PMID: 35153903 BACKGROUND

• Sanchez-Kuhn A, Perez-Fernandez C, Canovas R, Flores P, Sanchez-Santed F. Transcranial direct current stimulation as a motor neurorehabilitation tool: an empirical review. Biomed Eng Online. 2017 Aug 18;16(Suppl 1):76. doi: 10.1186/s12938-017-0361-8.

  PMID: 28830433 BACKGROUND

• Anic A, Olsen KN, Thompson WF. Investigating the Role of the Primary Motor Cortex in Musical Creativity: A Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Study. Front Psychol. 2018 Oct 1;9:1758. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01758. eCollection 2018.

  PMID: 30327622 BACKGROUND

• Chinzara TT, Buckingham G, Harris DJ. Transcranial direct current stimulation and sporting performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis of transcranial direct current stimulation effects on physical endurance, muscular strength and visuomotor skills. Eur J Neurosci. 2022 Jan;55(2):468-486. doi: 10.1111/ejn.15540. Epub 2022 Jan 6.

  PMID: 34904303 BACKGROUND

• Bikson M, Grossman P, Thomas C, Zannou AL, Jiang J, Adnan T, Mourdoukoutas AP, Kronberg G, Truong D, Boggio P, Brunoni AR, Charvet L, Fregni F, Fritsch B, Gillick B, Hamilton RH, Hampstead BM, Jankord R, Kirton A, Knotkova H, Liebetanz D, Liu A, Loo C, Nitsche MA, Reis J, Richardson JD, Rotenberg A, Turkeltaub PE, Woods AJ. Safety of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: Evidence Based Update 2016. Brain Stimul. 2016 Sep-Oct;9(5):641-661. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2016.06.004. Epub 2016 Jun 15.

  PMID: 27372845 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Anxiety Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Ricardo Galhardoni, Ph.D

  Neuromodulação em Foco

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Renato Santos de Almeida, Ph.D

  Centro Universitário Augusto Motta

  STUDY CHAIR

• Débora Cristina Lima da Silva, Ph.D

  Centro Universitário Augusto Motta

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Participants, investigators, and outcome assessors will be blinded to group assignment until the end of data collection.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator and Professor at Centro Universitário Augusto Motta (UNISUAM)

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned to either an active tDCS group or a sham stimulation group.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 27, 2025
• First Posted: May 6, 2025
• Study Start: June 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: September 30, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Last Updated: May 1, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Locations

BR (1)