rTMS Brain Stimulation and Cognition

Stephan Hamann

Status: Withdrawn

Conditions: Episodic Memory Retrieval

Treatments: Device: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04244682

IRB00115488

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will use repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) (a way to use a powerful magnet to cause temporary impairment to the function of a brain region) to test whether certain parts of the brain are necessary to various aspects of memory and emotion. Participation will require up to three visits. One visit will take up to an hour, and the other visits will each take up to three hours each. During the first visit, participants will be consented, and their brains will be scanned using magnetic resonance imaging.

Full description

Memory and emotion are complex cognitive processes. To understand memory and emotion better, it is helpful to break them down into component processes and examine how each of these component processes is supported by brain. One way to do this is to safely and reversibly impair the function of a brain region that are believed to support some of these component processes and observe changes in behavior.

A high-resolution three-dimensional image of a participant's brain will be created using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning (about 10 minutes in the scanner). Either the same day or on a following day, participants will return and will be exposed to emotional and/or neutral stimuli. Either before or after being exposed to the stimuli, the participants will have their brain mildly stimulated using rTMS. This stimulation will be at or below the levels which the FDA has deemed safe for treatment of depression, and will temporarily reduce brain activity in the targeted area. The behavior of the participant's memory, emotional processing, or related cognitive functions will be tested by asking them questions about emotional and/or neutral stimuli. Depending on which condition the participant is part of, the researchers may then bring the participant back, and repeat this procedure on a different day stimulating another brain region.

Up to 80 participants will be identified via word of mouth, the psychology department research pool, and via flyers posted on Emory campus. Participants will give informed consent to participate and will be compensated for their time.

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 55 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• English speaking
• healthy

Exclusion criteria

• personal or first-degree family history of epileptic seizure
• a known brain injury
• claustrophobia
• taking certain medications that may increase the risk of seizures (e.g., bupropion, varenicline, chlorpromazine, theophylline) or reduce the effects of rTMS, such as benzodiazepines
• current use of medication for neurological or psychiatric conditions
• internal metallic implant, device, or foreign body
• left handedness

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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0 participants in 1 patient group

Healthy participants receiving rTMS

Other group

Description:

Participation will require up to three visits. One visit will take up to an hour, and the other visits will each take up to three hours each. During the first visit, participants will be consented, and their brains will be scanned using magnetic resonance imaging. Participants will receive rTMS during two study visits.

Treatment:

Device: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)