The Effect of Repeated Prefrontal Cortex Stimulation on Antisocial and Aggressive Behavior

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Antisocial Behavior; Aggression
• Interventions: Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation; Device: Sham transcranial direct current stimulation

• Registration Number: NCT02674516
• Lead Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania

Brief Summary

This study investigates the relationship between prefrontal cortex activity and antisocial and aggressive behavior, and risk factors for such behavior. In the double-blind, randomized controlled trial, participants will undergo three sessions of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or sham stimulation and complete survey and laboratory measures assessing antisocial behavior and risk factors. Heart rate and skin conductance will also be measured.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2016-01
• Study First Submitted: 2016-01-26
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-02-03
• Study First Posted: 2016-02-04
• Primary Completion: 2020-06
• Study Completion: 2021-06
• Results First Submitted: 2021-08-18
• Status Verified: 2022-01
• Results First Submitted QC: 2022-01-07
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-01-07
• Results First Posted: 2022-01-18
• Last Update Posted: 2022-01-18

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 32

Inclusion Criteria

• Above 18 years of age
• Able to understand the nature of the study and give informed consent

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Exclusion Criteria

• Currently consuming anti-convulsant, anti-psychotic, or sedative/hypnotic medications
• Currently consuming anti-depressants
• History of seizures
• Metallic implants on the scalp
• Participation in other transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or tDCS experiments on the same day
• History of adverse reactions to tDCS

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Anodal stimulation	Transcranial direct current stimulation	Participants in the active stimulation group will undergo 3 sessions of anodal bilateral transcranial direct stimulation (tDCS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) on three consecutive days. tDCS will be delivered by a battery-driven, constant-current stimulator connected to three saline-soaked surface sponge electrodes. Two anodal electrodes (25cm2) will be placed over the DLPFC bilaterally and one cathodal electrode (35cm2) will be placed at the back of the neck. Scalp electrodes will be positioned over the F3 and F4 according to the 10-20 EEG international system. A current of 2mA (1mA at each DLPFC site) will be applied for 20 minutes and the current will be ramped up and down at the beginning and end of the stimulation period.
Sham stimulation	Sham transcranial direct current stimulation	The sham transcranial direct current stimulation condition will involve the same placement of the electrodes, current intensity, and ramp time as the real tDCS condition, but stimulation will only last for 30 seconds.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Number of Pins Inserted Into a Virtual Voodoo Doll After 48 Hours	On average, 48 hours after the first 20-minute tDCS or sham session ends	The number of pins (between 0 and 51) that participants decide to insert into a picture of a voodoo doll on a computer that represents either a romantic partner or close friend will be recorded.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Pennsylvania; 🇺🇸 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States