The Effect of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Learning With Reward in Healthy Humans

Stopped early

Conditions studied: Normal Physiology, fMRI

In brief

Background: \- Two areas on the surface of the brain, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and motor cortex (MC), play a key role during learning. Researchers are interested in determining the effect that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on the DLPFC and MC has on participants' performance of learning tasks. By studying the effect of TMS on reaction time, learning, and memory, researchers hope to better understand how to treat conditions such as Parkinson's disease and traumatic brain injury that affect these parts of the brain. Objectives: * To study the effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and motor cortex. * To learn which areas of the brain are used to perform certain learning and memory tasks. Eligibility: \- Healthy, right-handed individuals between 18 and 70 years of age. Design: * Participants will be screened with a physical and neurological examination and a medical and psychiatric history. * Participants will be asked to take part in one of five different parts of this study. Most participants will have four 2-hour visits to the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. Some participants (those involved in Part 5) will have only one 2-hour visit. * Parts 1 and 2 (four visits): Participants will have TMS, and then do a learning task that may provide a small monetary reward. On the first visit, before the TMS, participants will take an intelligence test based on reading aloud the words given on a card. Participants who have not had a routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain within the past year will also have a scan. * Parts 3 and 4 (four visits): Participants will have a functional MRI scan while doing a learning task that may provide a small monetary reward. On the first visit, before the functional MRI, participants will take an intelligence test based on reading aloud the words given on a card. Participants who have not had a routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain within the past year will also have a scan. * Part 5 (one visit): Participants will take an intelligence test based on reading aloud the words given on a card. Then, participants will have TMS followed by a functional MRI scan. During the functional MRI, participants will do a button-pressing task that may provide a small monetary reward. * Participants will also be asked to provide a small blood sample for genetic analysis.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT01260740
Run by: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
People needed: 174
Starts: 2010-12-07
Expected to finish: 2017-06-23
Last updated by the study team: 2017-10-06

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 70. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

Healthy
Right-handed
Ages 18-70 (inclusive)
Have completed high school or college in an English speaking country.
All participants must have had a neurological examination by a NINDS physician within the last two years.
All participants in the fMRI experiments must also have had a clinical MRI within the last year.

You may not qualify if…

Individuals with conditions that could pose a risk relating to the safety of the MRI procedure will be excluded from the protocol such as:
Those with ferromagnetic metal in the cranial cavity or eye, e.g. aneurysm clip, implanted neural stimulator, cochlear implant, ocular foreign body.
Those with an implanted cardiac pacemaker or auto-defibrillator.
Those with an insulin pump.
Those with an irremovable body piercing.
Pregnant women
Individuals with conditions that could pose a risk relating to the safety of the TMS procedure will be excluded from the protocol such as:
Those with significant abnormality on neurological examination.
Those with metal in the cranial cavity or eye, e.g. aneurysm clip, implanted neural stimulator, cochlear implant, ocular foreign body.
Those with an implanted cardiac pacemaker or auto-defibrillator.
Those with an insulin pump.
Pregnant women
Individuals with conditions that could compromise our interpretation of the TBS and fMRI results will be excluded such as:
Those with significant abnormality on neurological examination.
Those who have a significant psychiatric illness or have a history of psychiatric illness.
Those using medication affecting the DA system, such as phenothiazine antihistamines (promethazine), antiemetics or decongestants within the last month.

Where it is running

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike — Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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