Investigating Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Accelerating Learning in a Healthy Older Population

The University of Texas System (UT)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Associative Memory in Healthy Subjects

Treatments: Device: Active tDCS; Device: Sham tDCS

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03467698

18-40

Details and patient eligibility

About

The overall objective of this study is to explore whether transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) can accelerate associative learning and boost associative memory in healthy subjects.

Full description

The overall objective of this study is to explore whether transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) can accelerate associative learning and boost associative memory in healthy subjects.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) stimulation during a verbal paired-associate learning task to determine if tDCS may be used as a way to enhance brain plasticity during an associative memory task, and to accelerate learning and to optimize associative memory performance. We hypothesize that participants who receive tDCS stimulation will improve their associative memory performance.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 55 to 75 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Age between 55 and 75
2. Currently not using any medication contradicting with tDCS
3. Native English speaker
4. Capable of understanding and signing an informed consent

Exclusion criteria

1. Acquainted with the Swahili language or culture
2. Severe disease
3. Mental illness
4. Cardiac history
5. History of severe head injuries
6. History of epileptic insults
7. Any implanted devices such as pace maker, neurostimulator
8. Pregnancy

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Active tDCS

Experimental group

Description:

active HD-tDCS will be administered

Treatment:

Device: Active tDCS

Sham tDCS

Sham Comparator group

Description:

sham HD-tDCS will be administered

Treatment:

Device: Sham tDCS