Prefrontal iTBS on Working Memory

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Healthy
• Interventions: Device: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-sham; Device: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-active

• Registration Number: NCT05774223
• Lead Sponsor: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Brief Summary

The investigators previous pilot study showed that the brain remained activated after 3 minutes of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS). Therefore, an open question remains that how long the effects will last and when the maximum effects will be achieved. In addition, many pioneering works showed the positive effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on working memory. Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) is a patterned form of rTMS, it has shown a non-inferior efficacy in depression but with a much shorter time (approximately 3 mins) than traditional rTMS (approximately 40 mins).

As discussed above, this study aims to investigate the effects of prefrontal iTBS on working memory using concurrent iTBS/fNIRS and to explore the duration of the effects.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2023-03-01
• Study First Submitted: 2023-03-07
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-03-07
• Study First Posted: 2023-03-17
• Status Verified: 2023-06
• Primary Completion: 2023-06-15
• Study Completion: 2023-06-15
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-06-23
• Last Update Posted: 2023-06-26

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 31

Inclusion Criteria

• right-handed participants
• normal or corrected-to-normal vision

Exclusion Criteria

• a current or past diagnosis of any neurological or psychiatric disorder
• any severe medical conditions, seizure, and pregnancy
• contraindication to TMS (e.g., with mental implants)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Sham iTBS on working memory	Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-sham	Participants will receive sham 80% rMT iTBS over the left DLPFC (by putting the coil perpendicular to the left DLPFC) in this arm. The working memory assessments will be performed pre-stimulation and at 0-, 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-min post-stimulation. The working memory assessment is measured using a 2-minute 3-back task. The fNIRS will monitor the prefrontal hemoglobin change throughout the whole procedure.
Active iTBS on working memory	Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-active	Participants will receive active 80% rMT iTBS over the left DLPFC in this arm. The working memory assessments will be performed pre-stimulation and at 0-, 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-min post-stimulation. The working memory assessment is measured using a 2-minute 3-back task. The fNIRS will monitor the prefrontal hemoglobin change throughout the whole procedure.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
N-back	before and post iTBS, up to 3 months	The response time of each n-back task

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Hemoglobin change	before and post iTBS, up to 3 months	The hemoglobin change throughout whole procedure.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; 🇭🇰 Hong Kong, Hong Kong