Brain Network Mechanisms Causally Underlying Human Decisions Revealed by Brain Stimulation and Functional MRI

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms
• Interventions: Other: sham TMS or tES; Other: TMS or tES

• Registration Number: NCT05027854
• Lead Sponsor: Christian Ruff

Brief Summary

We will examine how stimulation of specific brain areas with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or transcranial electric stimulation (tES) changes specific aspects of behavior and brain activity, in order to test hypotheses about brain behavior relationships (basic research).

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2021-08
• Study First Submitted: 2021-08-16
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-08-23
• Last Update Submitted: 2021-08-23
• Study First Posted: 2021-08-30
• Last Update Posted: 2021-08-30
• Study Start: 2021-09-01
• Primary Completion: 2025-09-30
• Study Completion: 2025-09-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 1800

Inclusion Criteria

• between 18 and 80 years of age (whereby for most studies the majority of recruited participants will be between 18 and 40 years of age)
• right-handedness and/or one specific gender (male or female) can be inclusion criteria to reduce variation in the data.

Exclusion Criteria

• inability to understand the instructions and insufficient knowledge of the project language
• Internal electronic and/or metallic objects in the head, neck, or shoulders (e.g. artificial cochleae, deep brain stimulators, medical pumps, shrapnel, metallic splinters due to accidents during metal welding)
• One or more epileptic fits in the participant or a first-degree relative
• Vascular, traumatic, tumoral, infectious, or metabolic brain damage
• Use of medication that significantly alters cortical excitability
• Acute sleep deprivation or withdrawal from alcohol
• pregnancy
• to reduce bias, students of psychology or economics can be excluded if there is a possibility that they are familiar with the relevant paradigm.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Sham	sham TMS or tES	Corresponding sham TMS or tES
Stimulation	TMS or tES	TMS or tES, depending on experiment

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Accuracy of Behaviour	0-60 minutes after stimulation	Accuracy in percent correct
Cognitive Function driving Behaviour	0-60 minutes after stimulation	Parameter of Model describing cognitive function governing behaviour
Brain activity	0-60 minutes after stimulation	BOLD contrast in fMRI data
Speed of Behaviour	0-60 minutes after stimulation	Reaction time in miliseconds