Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Antisocial Behavior

Nanyang Technological University

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Aggression

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

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04204759

IRB-2019-06-072

Details and patient eligibility

About

The main objective of this study is to investigate the causal relationship between prefrontal cortex activity and antisocial behavior, as well as risk factors for antisocial behavior. Specifically, this study tests the hypothesis that upregulating activity in the prefrontal cortex through a non-invasive form of brain stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will reduce antisocial and aggressive behavior. The effects of 3 days of anodal stimulation over the prefrontal cortex are assessed.

Enrollment: 101 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Above 18 (with parental consent) or above 21 (without parental consent)
• Able to understand the nature of the study and give informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• History of or active neurologic, cardiovascular, or psychiatric disease including anxiety disorders (e.g., PTSD, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder) and mood disorders (e.g., depression)
• Currently consuming anti-convulsant, anti-psychotic, or sedative/hypnotic medications
• Currently consuming anti-depressants
• History of seizures
• Metallic implants on scalp
• Participated in any other non-invasive brain stimulation study in the same day
• Ever had an adverse reaction to tDCS

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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101 participants in 2 patient groups

Anodal stimulation

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the active stimulation group will undergo anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS will be delivered by a battery-driven, constant-current stimulator connected to two saline-soaked surface sponge electrodes. An anodal electrode (25cm2) will be placed over the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and one cathodal electrode (35cm2) will be placed over the occipital cortex. Scalp electrodes will be positioned according to the 10-20 EEG international system. A current of 2mA will be applied for 20 minutes and the current will be ramped up and down over 30 seconds at the beginning and end of the stimulation period.

Treatment:

Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation

Sham stimulation

Sham Comparator group

Description:

The sham tDCS condition will involve the same placement of the electrodes, current intensity, and ramp-up/down time as the active tDCS condition, but stimulation will only last for 30 seconds.

Treatment:

Device: Sham transcranial direct current stimulation