Spectral Characteristics of Memory Transformation (MEM_MOD)

Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Healthy

Treatments: Other: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) combined with behavioral intervention; Other: Inactive (sham) stimulation combined with behavioral intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05946616

00126392

Details and patient eligibility

About

Sometimes, it is necessary to re-learn a previously learned movement behavior, for example, a bad posture during the golf drive or while playing the piano. Unlearning or relearning an intensively trained behavior is particularly important if the behavior is hampering recovery, for example, in chronic pain or after a stroke. With this pilot study, the brain mechanisms that control the change of pre-existing stable memories of a motor skill will be tested with electroencephalography (EEG). Non-invasive brain stimulation will be used to modulate these brain mechanisms and test if it is possible to change the pre-existing motor memory and the learning of a new motor skill.

Enrollment: 30 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18 years or older (2/3 of the final sample will be ≥60years of age)
• No previous stroke, brain tumor, neurodegenerative disease, or trauma to the head
• Ability to give consent for study participation
• who have access to a personal computer with internet

Exclusion criteria

• • Pregnancy

  • Inability to use all ten fingers to type on a standard computer keyboard
  • Uncorrected vision, hindering perception of visual cues presented on a standard computer screen
  • Medication use at the time of study that may interfere with learning or the effect of tACS, including but not limited to carbamazepine, flunarizine, sulpiride, rivastigmine, dextromethorphan;
  • Neuromuscular disorders affecting hand and finger movements necessary for 10-finger keyboard typing
  • Presence of neurological or psychiatric disorders
  • Presence of scalp injury or disease
  • Prior history of seizures
  • Prior intracranial surgery
  • Prior brain radiotherapy
  • Prior history of intracranial tumor, intracranial infection, or cerebrovascular malformation
  • Metal in head or neck
  • Contraindications to MRI (such as severe claustrophobia, implanted medical devices)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Active non-invasive brain stimulation during behavioral memory interference

Experimental group

Description:

Non-invasive brain stimulation with transcranial alternating current stimulation will be applied during a memory interference intervention.

Treatment:

Other: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) combined with behavioral intervention

Sham stimulation during behavioral memory interference

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Inactive (sham) stimulation will be applied during a memory interference intervention.

Treatment:

Other: Inactive (sham) stimulation combined with behavioral intervention