Prefrontal iTBS on Working Memory

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy

Treatments: Device: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-active; Device: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-sham

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05774223

HSEARS20200120005-03

Details and patient eligibility

About

The investigators previous pilot study showed that the brain remained activated after 3 minutes of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS). Therefore, an open question remains that how long the effects will last and when the maximum effects will be achieved. In addition, many pioneering works showed the positive effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on working memory. Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) is a patterned form of rTMS, it has shown a non-inferior efficacy in depression but with a much shorter time (approximately 3 mins) than traditional rTMS (approximately 40 mins).

As discussed above, this study aims to investigate the effects of prefrontal iTBS on working memory using concurrent iTBS/fNIRS and to explore the duration of the effects.

Enrollment: 31 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 35 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• right-handed participants
• normal or corrected-to-normal vision

Exclusion criteria

• a current or past diagnosis of any neurological or psychiatric disorder
• any severe medical conditions, seizure, and pregnancy
• contraindication to TMS (e.g., with mental implants)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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31 participants in 2 patient groups

Active iTBS on working memory

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive active 80% rMT iTBS over the left DLPFC in this arm. The working memory assessments will be performed pre-stimulation and at 0-, 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-min post-stimulation. The working memory assessment is measured using a 2-minute 3-back task. The fNIRS will monitor the prefrontal hemoglobin change throughout the whole procedure.

Treatment:

Device: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-active

Sham iTBS on working memory

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive sham 80% rMT iTBS over the left DLPFC (by putting the coil perpendicular to the left DLPFC) in this arm. The working memory assessments will be performed pre-stimulation and at 0-, 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-min post-stimulation. The working memory assessment is measured using a 2-minute 3-back task. The fNIRS will monitor the prefrontal hemoglobin change throughout the whole procedure.

Treatment:

Device: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-sham