Mechanism of tDCS-induced Learning Enhancement - the Role of Serotonin
- Conditions
- Healthy Young and Older Adults
- Interventions
- Registration Number
- NCT02092974
- Lead Sponsor
- Charite University, Berlin, Germany
- Brief Summary
The aim of this study is to assess whether the application of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) enhances and prolongs the learning enhancement achieved by anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (atDCS). For this, young and older healthy subjects will be tested with a well established learning paradigm. Results of this study may help to support the application of atDCS also in patients, e.g. with dementia or mild cognitive impairment.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 40
- right handedness
- unobtrusive neuropsychological screening
- ability to provide written informed consent
- no pathological findings in head MRI
- age: 18 to 35 years (young adults) or 50-80 years (older adults)
- Highly effective contraception (Pearl Index < 1) or reliable abstinence from any heterosexual relationships in women of childbearing potential
- severe internal or psychiatric disease (especially depression or suicidal thoughts)
- epilepsy
- cognitive impairment (< SD under age adjusted norm in neuropsychological testing)
- concurrent taking of serotonin precursors (tryptophan, 5-HTP) or MAO inhibitors
- concurrent taking of tramadol or triptans
- concurrent taking of pimozide or linezolid
- concurrent taking of other drugs prolonging the QT-interval
- long-QT-syndrome
- hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia
- known intolerance of the study medication
- claustrophobia or metallic implants, tattoos (MRI exclusion criteria)
- pregnancy or lactation
- participation in another drug-interventional clinical trial within the last month or during the entire study
- probands that are placed in an institution due to official or judicial order
- non-agreement to save and transmit pseudonymised study data within the clinical trial
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- CROSSOVER
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description tDCS + placebo tDCS - sham-DCS + placebo sham-tDCS + placebo - tDCS + SSRI tDCS - sham-tDCS + SSRI Citalopram - tDCS + SSRI Citalopram -
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Recall score after learning under tDC stimulation + SSRI compared to learning under tDC stimulation + placebo. immediately after end of learning phase (approx. 1 hour) Recall score immediately after learning phase (=training of visual-spatial abilities) under tDC stimulation + SSRI application compared to learning under tDC stimulation + placebo.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Increase of learning enhancement by atDCS + placebo or sham-tDCS + SSRI vs. sham-tDCS + placebo immediately after learning phase (approx. 1 hour) Measurement of recall scores directly after learning phase after application of atDCS + placebo or sham-tDCS + SSRI vs. sham-tDCS + placebo.
prolongation of learning enhancement by atDCS + placebo or sham-tDCS + SSRI vs. sham-tDCS + placebo 1 week Measurement of recall scores on the evening of the same day of learning phase, the morning of the day after and 1 week later under application of atDCS + placebo or sham-tDCS + SSRI vs. sham-tDCS + placebo, in order to assess prolongation of learning enhancement by SSRI.
prolongation of the atDCS induced learning enhancement by SSRI 1 week Measurement of recall scores on the evening of the same day after the learning phase (+tDCS + SSRI), the morning of the day after and 1 week later in order to assess the prolongation of atDCS induced learning enhancement by the SSRI.
genotyping of learning related polymorphisms once To assess predictors of SSRI-enhanced brain stimulation, genotyping of several learning related polymorphisms will be performed (i.e., APOE, BDNF, Val66Met, COMT, Val158Met, KIBRA, rs17070145, 5-Hydroxytryptamine transporter).
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Charite Universitätsmedizin Berlin
🇩🇪Berlin, Germany