Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to the Cerebellum on Cognition

Johns Hopkins University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cognitive Performance

Treatments: Device: Cerebellar transcranial magnetic stimulation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT00740701

NA_00044841

R01MH060234 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Functional neuroimaging studies have shown that the cerebellum is active during cognitive performance. The investigators hypothesize that stimulation of the cerebellum with transcranial magnetic stimulation will produce brief changes in performance of the task, suggesting that cerebellar activation is necessary for normal cognitive function.

Enrollment: 17 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 19 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 19-30 years of age
• Informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• History of seizure or a family history of epilepsy
• History of stroke
• Presence of metal anywhere in the head except the mouth
• Presence of cardiac pacemakers
• Presence of cochlear implants
• Presence of implanted medication pump
• History of heart disease
• Presence of intracardiac lines
• Increased intracranial pressure, such as after infarctions or trauma
• Children, or outside of age range
• Pregnancy
• Currently taking tricyclic anti-depressants or neuroleptic medication
• History of head trauma
• History of respiratory disease

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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17 participants in 2 patient groups

Sham TMS

Sham Comparator group

Description:

A Sham TMS coil, designed to elicit sham cerebellar transcranial magnetic stimulation, is used to administer sham TMS pulses after letters are presented.

Treatment:

Device: Cerebellar transcranial magnetic stimulation

TMS

Experimental group

Description:

A genuine TMS coil is used to administer cerebellar transcranial magnetic stimulation pulses after letter presentation.

Treatment:

Device: Cerebellar transcranial magnetic stimulation