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Interaction of Right and Left Brain Hemispheres in Learning Precision Hand Movements

NCT00295568 · Status: COMPLETED · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 46

Last updated 2017-07-02

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This study will examine how the two sides of the brain interact when learning precision hand movements. Both sides of the brain are active when a person performs an accurate hand movement. This study will look at the extent to which the two brain hemispheres interact when learning accurate hand movements.

Healthy, right-handed normal volunteers 18 - 40 years of age may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a clinical and neurological examination.

Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups - precision or non-precision hand movements. All participants undergo the following procedures:

* Force precision task: Subjects are press a small device between the thumb and index finger. The force produced with the fingertips is translated onto a computer screen. Subjects track a white line passing on the screen with their fingertips.
* Paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS): A wire coil is held to the subject's scalp. A brief electrical current is passed through the coil, creating a magnetic pulse that stimulates the brain. During the stimulation, the subject may be asked to tense certain muscles slightly or perform other simple actions. The stimulation may cause a twitch in muscles of the face, arm, or leg, and the subject may hear a click and feel a pulling sensation on the skin under the coil. The effect of paired-pulse TMS on the muscles is detected with electrodes taped to the skin on the arms or legs.
* Surface electromyography (EMG): This test measures the electrical activity of muscles. For this test, electrodes are filled with a gel and taped to the skin over the muscle to be tested.

The study involves six sessions. Sessions 1-5 are on consecutive days; session 6 is one week after session 5.

* Session 1: Familiarization with the motor task and baseline measurements, including error rate, EMG, and paired-pulse TMS
* Session 2: Training in the motor task and repeat measurements as in session 1
* Session 3: Training and measurements as in session 2
* Session 4: Training and measurements as in session 2
* Session 5: Training and measurements as in session 2
* Session 6: Measurements only

Conditions

  • Interhemispheric Inhibition

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

    lead NIH

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
40 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2006-02-17
Completion
2009-01-12

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00295568 on ClinicalTrials.gov