Testing the Contribution of Orbitofrontal Cortex Networks to Reward Identity Learning

Northwestern University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy

Treatments: Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS); Device: Sham transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04926961

STU00214694

Details and patient eligibility

About

This research study examines the contribution of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) networks to learning reward identity expectations.

Full description

This study is designed to examine the contribution of OFC networks to reward identity learning. It will use network-targeted TMS to test whether OFC is necessary for reward identity learning. Healthy human subjects will perform a three-reward reversal learning task after either TMS or sham stimulation while fMRI data are acquired. This is a randomized, within-subject, cross-over study.

Enrollment: 42 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age between 18 and 50 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, alcoholism, 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
• 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, 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: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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42 participants in 2 patient groups

Sham stimulation first, then real stimulation

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will first be delivered sham TMS stimulation. Then on a separate day, participants will be delivered real TMS stimulation.

Treatment:

Device: Sham transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Real stimulation first, then sham stimulation

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will first be delivered real TMS stimulation. Then on a separate day, participants will be delivered sham TMS stimulation.

Treatment:

Device: Sham transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)