Testing the Contribution of Orbitofrontal Cortex Networks to Decision-making

Northwestern University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Healthy

Treatments: Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before conditioning; Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before devaluation test; Device: Sham transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05111223

STU00216104

Details and patient eligibility

About

This research study examines the contribution of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) networks to decision-making.

Full description

This study will combine functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), non-invasive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), olfactory stimuli, and a devaluation task to define the specific contributions of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) networks in outcome-guided behavior. We will use network-targeted TMS to modulate activity within anterior OFC and posterior OFC networks, examining if they have different contributions to decision-making. This is a randomized, between-subjects design.

Enrollment: 120 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 40 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age between 18 and 40 years old
• Right-handed
• Fluent English speakers

Exclusion criteria

• History of significant neurological conditions (e.g., epilepsy, dementia, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, etc.)
• History of major psychiatric conditions (e.g., general anxiety disorder, depression, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, substance use disorder, etc.)
• Significant medical illnesses (e.g., cancer, meningitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, etc.)
• Significant cerebrovascular risk factors (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, etc.)
• Current use of psychoactive medications (e.g., barbiturates, benzodiazepines, chloral hydrate, haloperidol, lithium, carbamazepine, phenytoin, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, diazepam, etc.)
• Smell or taste dysfunction
• History of significant allergies requiring hospitalization for treatment
• History of severe asthma requiring hospitalization for treatment
• Habitual smoking
• History of eating disorders (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, etc.)
• Dieting or fasting
• Magnetic implants (e.g., shunts or stents, aneurysm clips, surgical clips, cochlear implants, metal bone/joint pins, plates and screws, eyelid spring or wires, etc.)
• Electronic devices (e.g., implanted cardiac defibrillator, cardiac pacemaker, deep brain/spinal cord or nerve stimulator, internal electrodes/wires, medication infusion devices, etc.)
• History of metal working without proper eye protection, or injury with metal shrapnel or metal slivers
• Claustrophobia
• Pregnancy
• Predisposition to seizures (e.g., personal history of seizures, family history of seizures epilepsy, pregnancy, alcoholism, etc.)
• Use of medications that increase the likelihood of seizures (e.g., bupropion SR, citalopram, duloxetine, ketamine, gamma-hydroxybutyrate, etc.)
• History of surgical procedures performed on the brain or spinal cord
• History of severe head trauma followed by loss of consciousness
• History of fainting spells or syncope
• Hearing problems or tinnitus

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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120 participants in 2 patient groups

TMS targeting OFC anterior networks

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive TMS and sham targeting the OFC network.

Treatment:

Device: Sham transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before devaluation test

Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before conditioning

Experimental: TMS targeting posterior OFC networks

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive TMS and sham targeting the posterior OFC network.

Treatment:

Device: Sham transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before devaluation test

Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before conditioning