The Effect of Prefrontal Cortex Stimulation on Antisocial and Aggressive Behavior

University of Pennsylvania

Status: Completed

Conditions: Aggression; Antisocial Behavior

Treatments: Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation; Device: Sham transcranial direct current stimulation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02427672

821313

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study investigates the effect of upregulating prefrontal cortex activity on antisocial and aggressive behavior and risk factors for such behavior. In the double-blind, randomized controlled trial, participants will undergo anodal transcranial direct current stimulation bilaterally to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or a sham stimulation. During and after stimulation, they will complete survey and laboratory measures assessing antisocial and aggressive behavior and risk factors for antisocial and aggressive behavior. Heart rate and skin conductance will also be measured.

Enrollment: 84 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Above 18 years of age
• Able to understand the nature of the study and give informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• History of or active neurologic, cardiovascular, or psychiatric disease
• Currently consuming anti-convulsant, anti-psychotic, or sedative/hypnotic medications
• Currently consuming anti-depressants
• History of seizures
• Metallic implants on the scalp
• Participation in other transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or tDCS experiments on the same day
• History of adverse reactions to tDCS

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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84 participants in 2 patient groups

Anodal stimulation

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the active stimulation group will undergo anodal bilateral transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. tDCS will be delivered by a battery-driven, constant-current stimulator connected to three saline-soaked surface sponge electrodes. Two anodal electrodes (25cm2) will be placed over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex bilaterally and one cathodal electrode (35cm2) will be placed at the back of the neck. Scalp electrodes will be positioned over the F3 and F4 according to the 10-20 EEG international system. A current of 1mA will be applied for 20 minutes and the current will be ramped up and down at the beginning and end of the stimulation period.

Treatment:

Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation

Sham stimulation

Sham Comparator group

Description:

The sham transcranial direct current stimulation condition will involve the same placement of the electrodes, current intensity, and ramp time as the real tDCS condition, but stimulation will only last for 30 seconds.

Treatment:

Device: Sham transcranial direct current stimulation