Neural and Age-Related Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Left dlPFC During Information Processing
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 招募中
- 入组人数
- 196
- 试验地点
- 2
- 主要终点
- Task Accuracy
研究概览
简要总结
This study investigates how a non-invasive form of brain stimulation, called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), affects brain activity and information processing in younger and older adults. The stimulation uses a very weak electrical current applied through electrodes placed on the scalp. This method is safe and widely used in research to study brain function.
Participants will complete computer-based tasks while receiving either active brain stimulation or a placebo (sham) stimulation. The task is designed to engage specific mental processes so that the investigators can study how the brain responds under different conditions. Brain activity will be measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), both while participants perform the tasks and while they are resting.
The study will compare healthy younger (ages 20-40) and older (ages 60-80) adults to explore whether age influences how the brain responds to stimulation. By examining patterns of brain activation and connectivity, the investigators aim to better understand how tDCS can modulate cognitive processing across the adult lifespan.
The hypothesis is that applying tDCS to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex will change patterns of brain activity related to cognitive processing, and that these changes may differ between younger and older adults. This knowledge could help inform future research into brain stimulation techniques in different age groups.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Basic Science
- 盲法
- Double (Participant, Investigator)
盲法说明
Participants and investigators will be blinded to the stimulation condition. Both active and sham tDCS procedures involve identical electrode placement and an initial ramp-up of current to produce similar sensations. In the sham condition, the current is turned off after the ramp-up period, preventing ongoing stimulation while maintaining the same setup and experience for participants.
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 20 Years 至 80 Years（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •Healthy younger adults (ages 20-40) or healthy older adults (ages 60-80)
- •Normal or corrected-to-normal vision and hearing
- •Right-handed (for consistency in brain stimulation)
- •Able to give written informed consent and comply with study procedures
排除标准
- •History of neurological or psychiatric disorders
- •Current use of medications that affect the central nervous system
- •Metal implants, pacemakers, or other contraindications for MRI or tDCS
- •History of seizures or epilepsy
- •Pregnancy
- •Participation in another brain stimulation study within the last 3 months
- •Any condition judged by investigators to interfere with safe participation
结局指标
主要结局
Task Accuracy
时间窗: During the intervention
Accuracy in responses during an information processing task, measured as the proportion of correct responses.
Task-Related Brain Activation
时间窗: During the intervention
Changes in blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal during the information processing task, measured using fMRI.
Resting-State Functional Connectivity
时间窗: Immediately before and after the intervention
Changes in functional connectivity between brain regions before and after stimulation, measured using resting-state fMRI.
次要结局
- Task Reaction Time(During the intervention)