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Effects of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation on Task Performance in Healthy Adults

NCT06995560 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 44

Last updated 2026-05-15

Study results available
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Summary

The objective of this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover study is to evaluate the effects of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) on complex cognitive task performance in healthy adult volunteers.

The primary questions this study aims to answer are:

1. Does tES improve task performance, including speed, accuracy, and overall success, during a computerized track-and-capture task?
2. Do different stimulation targets produce differential effects on performance?
3. Are there short-term post-stimulation effects on task performance (up to 48 hours)?

Participants will:

1. Complete two testing sessions under either active or sham stimulation conditions.
2. Perform a complex operational task involving dual-hand controllers while undergoing tES or sham stimulation, and immediately after.
3. Return for follow-up task performance assessments at 24 and 48 hours post-stimulation to evaluate after-effects.

Conditions

  • Healthy
  • Brain Stimulation
  • Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
  • Cognition
  • Psychomotor Performance
  • Neurophysiology

Interventions

DEVICE

Active Transcranial Electrical Stimulation

Active tES delivered using the Soterix Medical MXN-33 HD-tES stimulator. Stimulation is applied via high definition electrodes targeting either the left DLPFC or L-aINS at intensities up to 1.9 mA. Stimulation is performed for up to 45 minutes during task execution. Participants perform the ROBoT-r task during stimulation.

DEVICE

Sham Transcranial Electrical Stimulation

Sham tES using the same Soterix Medical MXN-33 HD-tES stimulator and electrode placements. Stimulation ramps up and down over 20 seconds to mimic sensation but provides no continuous current. Participants perform the ROBoT-R task under sham conditions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • Gary Strangman, PhD · Massachusetts General Hospital

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
25 Years
Max Age
55 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2022-12-01
Primary Completion
2024-10-31
Completion
2024-10-31
FDA Device
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Companies

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 NCT06995560 on ClinicalTrials.gov