The Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Motor Performance in Healthy Adults

Ariel University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy

Treatments: Device: HD-tDCS sham; Device: HD-tDCS 2 mA; Device: HD-tDCS 1.5 mA

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04577768

AU-HEA-SFT-20190326

Details and patient eligibility

About

to investigate the effect of stimulation intensity on motor performance in healthy adults.

Full description

60 healthy subjects were randomly allocated to one of three groups: (a) 20-min of High-Definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) with an intensity of 2 mA (HD-tDCS 2 mA); (2) 20-min of HD-tDCS with an intensity of 1.5 mA (HD-tDCS 1.5 mA); and (3) 20-min of sham HD-tDCS (HD-tDCS sham). The stimulation was administered noninvasively using an M x N 9-channel high definition transcranial electrical current stimulator from Soterix Medical (New York, NY). The anodal stimulation targeted the right Brodmann area 4 (primary motor cortex) based on HD-Targets brain modelling software (Soterix Medical, New York, NY).

Tests: The non-dominant left arm was tested. The subjects performed a sequential point-to-point movement task on the graphics tablet. Initially, the participants were required to perform 3 sequences without errors to familiarize themselves with the setup, the task and the sequence. Then, they performed the pre-test which consisted of two blocks of 6 sequences, i.e. 12 sequences, with a 30 s break between blocks. Two min after starting the appropriate stimulation, they performed 2 blocks of 6 sequences (identical to the pre-test). After finishing the tDCS stimulation, the participants performed a post-test, which was also identical to the pre-test. The participants returned after 24 hours to perform a retention test, which was equivalent to the pre- and post-tests. Two outcome measures were used: movement time (s) and the reaction time (s) of the reaching movements.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 35 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• aged between 20 and 35
• right-hand dominant
• healthy according to self report

Exclusion criteria

• taking psychiatric medications
• a history of drug abuse or dependence
• psychiatric or neurological disorder
• a history of seizures
• metal implants in their head
• musculoskeletal deficits interfering with task performance (proper reaching performance in sitting)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

---

60 participants in 3 patient groups

HD-tDCS 2 mA

Experimental group

Description:

Single session of 20-min HD-tDCS to the right primary motor cortex with an intensity of 2 mA. The session lasted approximately one hour. The participants returned after 24 hours to perform a retention test.

Treatment:

Device: HD-tDCS 2 mA

HD-tDCS 1.5 mA

Experimental group

Description:

Single session of 20-min HD-tDCS to the right primary motor cortex with an intensity of 1.5 mA. The session lasted approximately one hour. The participants returned after 24 hours to perform a retention test.

Treatment:

Device: HD-tDCS 1.5 mA

Control

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Single session of 20-min of sham HD-tDCS. The session lasted approximately one hour. The participants returned after 24 hours to perform a retention test.

Treatment:

Device: HD-tDCS sham