Physiology of Human Brain Connectivity
Recruiting now · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Healthy
In brief
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effective connectivity between different regions of the human brain in healthy participants, and the mechanisms which influence and modulate its development. Specifically, the investigators will examine the effects of cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation (ccPAS) which is induced by the application of brief (\< 1 ms) transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) pulses separated by a short millisecond-level time intervals ("asynchrony") to two different areas of the brain. All techniques are non-invasive and considered safe in humans: TMS, electroencephalography (EEG), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Based on previous animal and human studies, it is hypothesized that ccPAS will increase or decrease effective connectivity between the stimulated areas depending on the asynchrony value. The main outcome measure is source-resolved EEG cortico-cortical evoked potentials (ccEPs) elicited by single-pulse TMS.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT06246942
- Run by
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- People needed
- 80
- Starts
- 2024-12-13
- Expected to finish
- 2027-04-15
- Last updated by the study team
- 2025-11-10
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 64. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Age from 18 to 64 years
- Right-handed
- Normal hearing and (corrected) vision
- Able to understand and give informed consent
You may not qualify if…
- Cardiac pacemaker or pacemaker wires; neurostimulators; implanted pumps
- Metal in the body (e.g., rods, plates, screws, shrapnel, dentures that cannot be removed during the recordings, IUD)
- Suspected metallic particles in the eye
- Surgical clips in the head or previous neurosurgery
- Any magnetic particles in the body
- Cochlear implants
- Prosthetic heart valves
- Epilepsy or any other type of seizure history
- Any neurological diagnoses or medications influencing brain function
- History of significant head trauma (i.e., extended loss of consciousness, neurological sequelae)
- Known structural brain lesion
- Significant other disease (heart disease, malignant tumors, mental disorders)
- Significant claustrophobia; Ménière's disease
- Pregnancy (ruled out by urine ß-HCG if answers to screening questions suggest that pregnancy is possible), breast feeding
- Non prescribed drug use
- Failure to perform the behavioral tasks or neuropsychological evaluation tests
- Prisoners
Where it is running
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, Massachusetts, United States (enrolling)
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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