Cortical Excitability and Typing Performance After Action Observation and Motor Execution

NCT07009561 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: TMStyping
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Goal: This study will aim to investigate the effects of different motor stimulation strategies-motor execution (ME) and action observation (AO)-on cortical excitability and typing performance in healthy individuals. Recruitment: A total of 60 healthy university students will be recruited and randomly assigned into three groups: Motor Execution group (n=20) Action Observation group (n=20) Control group (n=20) Evaluation Tools: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) using DEYMED DuoMAG XT will be used to measure Resting Motor Threshold (RMT), Motor Evoked Potential (MEP) Amplitude, and MEP Latency of the First Dorsal Interosseous (FDI) muscle. Online Typing Test will be used to assess typing speed (words per minute) and accuracy (percentage of correct characters). Intervention: The ME group will perform a 3-minute typing task. The AO group will observe a 3-minute first-person video of typing. The Control group will not receive any intervention between assessments. All participants will undergo TMS and typing assessments twice, once before and once after the intervention.

Conditions

Young Adults

Keywords

Transcranial magnetic stimulation; Cortical excitability; Action observation; Motor execution; Typing

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Change in Resting Motor Threshold (RMT)

  Resting Motor Threshold (RMT) will be measured using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) targeting the First Dorsal Interosseous (FDI) muscle. RMT is defined as the minimum stimulation intensity required to evoke a measurable motor evoked potential (MEP) of ≥50 µV in at least 5 out of 10 trials.

  Pre-intervention (Day 1) and Post-intervention (within 15 minutes after intervention on Day 2, between 48 hours to a 3-week window)

• Change in MEP Latency and Amplitude

  Motor Evoked Potential (MEP) latency (in milliseconds) and amplitude (in µV) will be assessed using TMS. These measures reflect neural conduction time and the magnitude of cortical response, respectively.

  Pre-intervention (Day 1) and Post-intervention (within 15 minutes after intervention on Day 2, between 48 hours to a 3-week window)

• Change in Typing Speed (Words Per Minute)

  Typing speed will be measured using a standardized online typing platform, expressed in words per minute (WPM). Participants will complete a 3-minute typing task using custom text emphasizing index finger usage.

  Pre-intervention (Day 1) and Post-intervention (within 15 minutes after intervention on Day 2, between 48 hours to a 3-week window)

• Change in Typing Accuracy

  Typing accuracy will be recorded as the percentage of correctly typed characters during a 3-minute standardized typing task using an online platform.

  Pre-intervention (Day 1) and Post-intervention (within 15 minutes after intervention on Day 2, between 48 hours to a 3-week window)

Study Arms (3)

ME

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will undergo pre and post assessments. Each assessment include Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and typing performance tests. Pre-assessment will be conducted in the first visit. In the second visit, Motor Execution (ME) group will perform a 3-minute typing task using both hands in a standardized posture. The typing task will consist of custom-designed text that emphasizes use of the index finger, matching the target muscle for TMS. Participants will then undergo post-assessment as same as the pre-assessment within 15 minutes after completing the typing task. There will be time window more than 48 hours between visits.

Behavioral: Motor Execution Typing Task

AO

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will undergo pre and post assessments. Each assessment include Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and typing performance tests. Pre-assessment will be conducted in the first visit. During the second visit, participants in the Action Observation (AO) group will observe a 3-minute first-person point-of-view video of a person typing the same standardized text used in the ME group. The video will emphasize index finger movement on a QWERTY keyboard. Participants will then undergo post-assessment as same as the pre-assessment within 15 minutes after watching the typing video. There will be time window more than 48 hours between visits.

Behavioral: Action Observation of Typing Task

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in the Control group will not receive any intervention between the pre- and post-assessments. They will undergo the same assessments as the other groups to allow comparison of changes in cortical excitability and typing performance. There will be time window more than 48 hours between visits.

Interventions

Motor Execution Typing Task BEHAVIORAL

Participants will perform a 3-minute typing task using custom-designed text that emphasizes index finger use. This task is designed to actively engage the motor cortex and will be administered in a controlled environment using standard posture and equipment. The task aims to elicit changes in cortical excitability, which will be measured pre- and post-intervention using TMS.

ME

Action Observation of Typing Task BEHAVIORAL

Participants will observe a 3-minute first-person video of an individual typing the standardized text. The video is designed to activate mirror neuron systems through visual engagement with a familiar motor task. It will be shown once in a controlled setting, and post-assessment of cortical excitability will follow immediately after.

AO

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 26 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Age between 18 and 26 years
• Healthy university students with no known neurological, psychiatric, or musculoskeletal conditions
• Intact motor functioning of the upper limbs
• Basic typing proficiency using a 10-finger typing method
• Ability to understand study procedures and provide informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Typing speed less than 16 words per minute
• Use of hunt-and-peck or single-finger typing style
• History of seizures or epilepsy
• Current use of neuroactive medications
• Presence of metallic implants in the head or upper body
• Any contraindications to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
• Left-handed individuals using non-standard typing techniques (unless provided with adapted materials)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Sharjah: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Sharjah

University City, Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Location

Related Publications (4)

• Bhattacharya A, Mrudula K, Sreepada SS, Sathyaprabha TN, Pal PK, Chen R, Udupa K. An Overview of Noninvasive Brain Stimulation: Basic Principles and Clinical Applications. Can J Neurol Sci. 2022 Jul;49(4):479-492. doi: 10.1017/cjn.2021.158. Epub 2021 Jul 9.

  PMID: 34238393 BACKGROUND

• Birdsong D. Plasticity, Variability and Age in Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism. Front Psychol. 2018 Mar 12;9:81. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00081. eCollection 2018.

  PMID: 29593590 BACKGROUND

• Grilc N, Valappil AC, Tillin NA, Mian OS, Wright DJ, Holmes PS, Castelli F, Bruton AM. Motor imagery drives the effects of combined action observation and motor imagery on corticospinal excitability for coordinative lower-limb actions. Sci Rep. 2024 Jun 6;14(1):13057. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-63758-6.

  PMID: 38844650 BACKGROUND

• Ma ZZ, Wu JJ, Hua XY, Zheng MX, Xing XX, Ma J, Li SS, Shan CL, Xu JG. Brain Function and Upper Limb Deficit in Stroke With Motor Execution and Imagery: A Cross-Sectional Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. Front Neurosci. 2022 May 19;16:806406. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2022.806406. eCollection 2022.

  PMID: 35663563 BACKGROUND

Central Study Contacts

Meeyoung Kim, Ph.D.

CONTACT

+971582591541; mkim@sharjah.ac.ae

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: This will be a double-blinded randomized controlled trial in which participants will be unaware of their group allocation or the purpose of the intervention they receive. Outcome assessors and data analysts will also be blinded to the group assignments. To ensure assessor blinding, TMS and typing data will be coded and analyzed by an independent researcher who is not involved in intervention delivery or participant interaction. The interventions (ME, AO, Control) will be conducted in a standardized format, minimizing interaction and disclosure that could bias results.
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant professor

Model Details: This study will be a prospective, double-blinded, parallel, randomized controlled trial. A total of 60 participants will be randomly assigned into three groups: Motor Execution (ME), Action Observation (AO), and Control. Each group will consist of 20 participants. Interventions will include a 3-minute typing task (ME), a 3-minute observation video (AO), or no task (Control). All participants will undergo pre- and post-intervention typing and TMS assessments.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 29, 2025
• First Posted: June 6, 2025
• Study Start: June 15, 2025
• Primary Completion: June 30, 2025
• Study Completion: July 30, 2025
• Last Updated: June 6, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP
• Time Frame: After 6 months of completing a study and available for one year
• Access Criteria: Access will be granted to academic researchers affiliated with recognized institutions for non-commercial research purposes only. Approved researchers must sign a data use agreement, ensuring the data will be used solely for the approved purpose, will not be re-identified, and will be securely stored. Priority will be given to proposals that aim to expand scientific knowledge on motor learning, neuroplasticity, TMS, or physiotherapy interventions.

Locations

AE (1)