Effects of Gamma-tACS on EEG Periodic Activity (GAMMAtACS)

IRCCS San Camillo, Venezia, Italy

Status: Completed

Conditions: Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation

Treatments: Device: real tACS; Device: sham tACS

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05809076

2021.18

Details and patient eligibility

About

In this study on healthy subjects, the effect of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) will be investigated. In particular, the distinction between periodic and aperiodic electroencephalogram (EEG) activity will be considered, as well as the state-dependency phenomenon. Participants will take part in two experimental sessions that will include tACS stimulation (one real, one control). Before, during, and after stimulation, subjects will have their EEG recorded during rest or during tasks.

The aim of this study is to investigate how the modulatory effects of gamma-tACS interact with intrinsic neural activity, measured in terms of periodic and aperiodic activity, as well as neurophysiological and behavioral modulation, taking into consideration the state-dependency phenomenon, which refers to the brain's activation state prior to stimulation.

Enrollment: 34 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy adults

Exclusion criteria

• Common exclusion criteria
• Left-handedness (assessed through the Oldfield test)
• Diagnosis of neurological or psychiatric disorders
• Vision problems that prevent reading, not correctable with lenses
• Diagnosis of substance dependence on drugs or alcohol
• Presence of hearing aids/prostheses
• Diagnosis of epilepsy or family history up to the second degree with it
• Episodes of febrile convulsions or recurrent fainting
• Head trauma
• Presence of surgical clips or metal implants in the head
• Diagnosis of heart disease
• Presence of a cardiac pacemaker or artificial heart valve
• Presence of hearing aids/prostheses
• Hearing problems or tinnitus
• Vision problems not corrected with lenses (such as color blindness)
• Taking tricyclic antidepressant medications
• Taking neuroleptic medications
• Diagnosis of headache or migraine
• Taking more than 3 alcoholic units in the last 24 hours
• Taking 2 or more cups of coffee or caffeine from other sources in the last 2 hours

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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34 participants in 2 patient groups

real tACS

Experimental group

Treatment:

Device: real tACS

sham tACS

Sham Comparator group

Treatment:

Device: sham tACS