Effect of Long-term Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Appetite Control Related Brain Regions

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Obesity
• Interventions: Device: real tDCS; Device: sham tDCS

• Registration Number: NCT02362633
• Lead Sponsor: Chungbuk National University

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate the long-term effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on appetite control related brain regions.

Detailed Description

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is emerging tool for brain modulation in a variety of clinical conditions. In addition, recent neuroimaging studies suggest that modifying the activity of brain circuits involved in eating behavior could provide therapeutic benefits in obesity.

The investigators aim to assess whether long-term modulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLFPC) using tDCS, modifies behavioral response and brain activity while watching visually presented food cues and taste cues in obese subjects.

Subjects will be randomly divided into sham and real tDCS arms. Subjects will receive sham or real tDCS ten times. Subjects will be investigated before and after sham or real tDCS interventions. Subjects will perform functional MRI experiments with visual and taste food cues. Questionnaire with behavior measures, body compositions, blood tests will be performed.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2015-02
• Study First Submitted: 2015-02-02
• Study First Submitted QC: 2015-02-09
• Study First Posted: 2015-02-13
• Primary Completion: 2015-10
• Status Verified: 2016-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-02-03
• Last Update Posted: 2016-02-04

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 27

Inclusion Criteria

• BMI > 26 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria

• History of brain trauma, epilepsy, or other neurological problems

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Real tDCS	real tDCS	Subjects will receive real tDCS treatment for ten times for two weeks (five times per week).
Sham tDCS	sham tDCS	Subjects will receive sham tDCS treatment for ten times for two weeks (five times per week).

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Regional brain activity measured by blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal of functional MRI	Day 14 (After ten interventions)	3T MR scanner with Echo Planar Imaging(EPI) capability(Magnetom, Siemens Medical System)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Behavior outcomes on the visual analog scale	Day 14 (After ten interventions)	Hunger related visual analogue scale (VAS) - 8 items (Flint et al., 2000) Mood related visual analogue scale (VAS) - 16 items (Fregni et al., 2008)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Chungbuk National University; 🇰🇷 Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-Do, Korea, Republic of