Power Nap With TES-TI

NCT07090135 | Recruiting DMC FDA Device

• 4 other identifiers: 2025-0481A538900SMPH/PSYCHIATRY/PSYCHIATRYProtocol Version 12/18/25
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 25
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to find out whether stimulating the brain with electrical current during naps can increase certain kinds of brain activity that happen during sleep and lead to improvements in mental fatigue. Participants will attend 2 study visits, each of which may last up to 4-5 hours. During these visits, participants will wear a high density electroencephalography (hdEEG) cap and take a nap.

Conditions

Non-restorative Sleep; Healthy Volunteer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change in slow waves

  Researchers will do a power analysis on high density EEG data for slow wave frequency (3-5Hz) and see if there is increase in this frequency range during/post stimulation.

  Baseline to 1 month

• Change in sleep quality and mood

  Sleep quality and mood will be assessed using the Restorative Sleep Questionnaire (REST-Q), a 9-item questionnaire assessing aspects of restorative sleep. Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert scale, scores range from 9-45. A higher score indicates a more restorative sleep.

  Baseline to 1 month

Study Arms (2)

Stimulation followed by no stimulation

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive stimulation during their nap at the first visit, and no stimulation during their nap at the second visit.

Device: Transcranial electrical stimulation with Temporal Interference (TES-TI)

No stimulation followed by stimulation

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will not receive stimulation during their nap at the first visit, and receive stimulation during their nap at the second visit.

Device: Transcranial electrical stimulation with Temporal Interference (TES-TI)

Interventions

Transcranial electrical stimulation with Temporal Interference (TES-TI) DEVICE

TES-TI uses specific electrode arrangement patterns to selectively stimulate the brain. Participants will wear an hdEEG (high density electroencephalography) cap which will allow intermittent periods of stimulation from TES-TI.

No stimulation followed by stimulation; Stimulation followed by no stimulation

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 75 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adults aged 18-75 of any gender identity
• Self-reported non-restorative sleep, as measured by a REST-Q score
• English-speaking (able to provide consent and complete questionnaires)
• Capable of taking daytime naps
• US Citizen

You may not qualify if:

• Any current or history of neurological disorders or acquired neurological disease (e.g. stroke, traumatic brain injury), including intracranial lesions
• History of inpatient psychiatric hospitalization
• History of head trauma resulting in prolonged loss of consciousness; or a history of \>3 grade I concussions
• Current history of poorly controlled headaches including intractable or poorly controlled migraines
• Any systemic illness or unstable medical condition that may cause a medical emergency in case of a provoked seizure (cardiac malformation, cardiac dysrhythmia, asthma, etc.)
• History of seizures, diagnosis of epilepsy, history of abnormal (epileptiform) EEG, or family history of treatment resistant epilepsy except for a single seizure of benign etiology (e.g. febrile seizures) in the judgment of a board-certified neurologist
• Possible pregnancy or plan to become pregnant in the next 6 months
• Any metal in the head
• Any medical devices or implants (i.e. cardiac pacemaker, medication infusion pump, cochlear implant, vagal nerve stimulator)
• Dental implants
• Permanent retainers
• Any hair braid, dreadlocks, hair pieces, or extensions which cannot be taken out before the study sessions
• Any head coverings or headdress that participant feels uncomfortable removing for the purposes of study sessions
• Any medication that may alter seizure threshold taken during the study i.e., ADHD stimulants (Adderall, amphetamine); Tricyclic/atypical antidepressants (amitriptyline, doxepine, imipramine, maprotiline, nortriptyline, bupropion); Antipsychotics (chlorpromazine, clozapine), Bronchodilators (theophylline, aminophylline); Antibiotics (fluoroquinolones, imipenem, penicillin, cephalosporins, metronidazole, isoniazid); Antivirals (valacyclovir, ritonavir); OTC antihistamines (diphenhydramine, Benadryl)
• Claustrophobia (a fear of small or closed places)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Wisconsin, Madison: lead
• Corundum Convergence Institute: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, United States

RECRUITING

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

• Guilio Tononi, MD, PhD

  University of Wisconsin, Madison

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Sean Prahl

CONTACT

262-395-8675; spprahl@wisc.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 22, 2025
• First Posted: July 29, 2025
• Study Start: December 19, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2027
• Last Updated: January 15, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

US (1)