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Methods to Enhance Transcranial Direct Stimulation (tDCS)

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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01135953
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : June 3, 2010
Last Update Posted : December 8, 2010
Sponsor:
Information provided by:
The University of New South Wales

Study Description
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Brief Summary:
tDCS has been shown to be an effective treatment for depression. However, tDCS is a relatively new clinical tool and more needs to be understood about its use. This study hopes to further the field of knowledge by examining how tDCS should be optimally used. Application of tDCS in clinical trials of depression is typically to the prefrontal cortex, but in this project, tDCS application will be to the motor cortex as it provides a more ready measure of excitability. Excitability will be measured using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to the motor cortex and electromyography (EMG) recordings from peripheral muscles stimulated. Using a cross-over three-arm design this study aims to investigate whether daily tDCS administered in increasing intensity across sessions leads to greater and lasting effects on brain excitability than keeping the intensity at a same dose across the days and whether the excitatory effect could be enhanced with D-cycloserine, a medication known to prolong the excitatory effects of a single session of tDCS. This in turn will inform on how to optimize tDCS for therapeutic applications, e.g treatment of depression. The study hypothesis is that 5 sessions of tDCS with a dose of D-cycloserine given on the Monday and Thursday sessions will result in more sustained effect on motor cortex excitability than 5 sessions of tDCS alone. The second hypothesis is that the gradational increases in tDCS intensity over 5 sessions will result in greater motor cortex excitability than 5 sessions of tDCS where intensity is kept constant across sessions.

Condition or disease Intervention/treatment Phase
Healthy Volunteers Brain Excitation Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Other: Transcranial direct Stimulation (tDCS) and D-cycloserine Not Applicable

Study Design
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Study Type : Interventional  (Clinical Trial)
Estimated Enrollment : 24 participants
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Official Title: Investigating Methods to Enhance the Excitatory Effects of Transcranial Direct Stimulation (tDCS)
Study Start Date : January 2010
Actual Primary Completion Date : July 2010
Actual Study Completion Date : July 2010

Resource links provided by the National Library of Medicine

Drug Information available for: Cycloserine

Arms and Interventions
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Arm Intervention/treatment
Experimental: ARM 1 - CONTROL
Subject given tDCS every day of the week (5 sessions) at 2 mA.
 Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
tDCS applied to to motor cortex every weekday (5 sessions), at 2mA ,during 20 minutes.Conductive rubber electrodes (7 x 5 cm = 35 cm2) covered by sponges soaked in saline will be used, held in place by a band. The current will be gradually increased to the level of 2 mA over 30 seconds (to avoid the sensation of a flash).
Other Name: tDCS (Eldith DC-Stimulator (CE certified)
Experimental: Arm 2 - INCREASING
Subjects given increasing intensity during tDCS across the week (Monday 1mA, Tuesday 1.5mA, Wednesday 1.5 mA, Thursday 2 mA, Friday 2mA).
 Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
tDCS applied to the motor cortex every day of the week during 20 minutes, at 1mA first session, 1.5 mA second and third sessions, and 2mA fourth and fifth sessions, during 20 minutes. Conductive rubber electrodes (7 x 5 cm = 35 cm2) covered by sponges soaked in saline will be used, held in place by a band. The current will be gradually increased over 30 seconds (to avoid the sensation of a flash).
Other Name: Eldith DC-Stimulator (CE certified)
Experimental: ARM 3 - CYCLOSERINE
D-cycloserine (100 mg) given on the Monday and Thursday sessions, administering tDCS at 2 mA.
 Other: Transcranial direct Stimulation (tDCS) and D-cycloserine

Transcranial Direct Stimulation applied to the motor cortex every day of the week (5 sessions) at 2mA, during 20 minutes. Conductive rubber electrodes (7 x 5 cm = 35 cm2) covered by sponges soaked in saline will be used, held in place by a band. The current will be gradually increased to the level of 2 mA over 30 seconds (to avoid the sensation of a flash).

D-cycloserine, administered orally (capsules), 100 mg, twice a week (Monday and Thursday), prior to the tDCS session.

Other Names:
  • tDCS - Eldith DC-Stimulator (CE certified)
  • D-cycloserine, Seromycin Pulvules, 100 mg


Outcome Measures
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Primary Outcome Measures :
  1. Change from baseline in brain excitability measured through motor evoked potentials (MEP) 0 to 120 minutes after tDCS session. [ Time Frame: Pre-treatment, post treatment at minute 0, minute 5, minute 10, minute 15, minute 20, minute 25, minute 30, minute 60, minute 90, minute 120. ]

Eligibility Criteria
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Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years to 40 Years   (Adult)
Sexes Eligible for Study:   Male
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   Yes
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male
  • Right handed (> 18/20 on the Edinburgh Handedness)
  • Aged 18-40

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Mental illness
  • General medical illness
  • Neurological illness, epilepsy
  • Alcohol use above National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines
  • Smokers
  • Excessive caffeine intake
  • Illicit drug use
  • Herbal medication use
  • Electronic implant, e.g, cochlear implant, pacemaker
  • Musculoskeletal problem in the arm
Contacts and Locations
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Information from the National Library of Medicine

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01135953


Locations
Australia, New South Wales
Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2031
Sponsors and Collaborators
The University of New South Wales
More Information
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Additional Information:
Black Dog Institute website  This link exits the ClinicalTrials.gov site

Responsible Party: Associate Professor Colleen Loo, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01135953     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: HREC09344
First Posted: June 3, 2010    Key Record Dates
Last Update Posted: December 8, 2010
Last Verified: December 2010

Keywords provided by The University of New South Wales:
Brain excitation
transcranial Direct Stimulation
administration pattern

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Cycloserine
Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary
Anti-Infective Agents
Renal Agents
Antibiotics, Antitubercular
 Antitubercular Agents
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Antimetabolites
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action