Intensity-Dependent Effects of 4-week Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Motor Learning in Healthy Young Adults

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effects of different intensities of transcranial direct current stimulationover primary motor cortex on motor learning in healthy adults. The main question it aims to answer is:

Which intensity of tDCS can best improve motor learning? Researchers will compare 1 mA, 2 mA, and 3 mA tDCS to sham tDCS to see which intensity of tDCS is most effective in improving the ability of motor learning.

Participants will be randomly divided into four groups and receive 4 different intensities of tDCS(1 mA, 2 mA, 3 mA and sham tDCS),and will be blinded to the type of tDCS they received. We hypothesized that anodal tDCS at 2 mA would produce the most substantial improvement in motor learning.

Conditions

• Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Interventions

DEVICE

3 mA transcranial direct current stimulation

The intervention will be conducted using a battery-powered stimulator (TCS-E2000, Shenzhen Yingchi Technology Co., Ltd) through a pair of saline-soaked sponge electrodes (5 cm × 7 cm).The stimulation intensity will be set at 3 mA. The stimulation will last for 20 minutes each time, with a 10 s fade-in period at the start and a 10-s fade-out period at the end of stimulation. The participants will receive intervention lasting for four weeks(10 sessions).The anodal electrode will be placed over the primary motor cortex (M1), and the reference electrode will be positioned at the center of the forehead.

DEVICE

2 mA transcranial direct current stimulation

The intervention will be conducted using a battery-powered stimulator (TCS-E2000, Shenzhen Yingchi Technology Co., Ltd) through a pair of saline-soaked sponge electrodes (5 cm × 7 cm).The stimulation intensity will be set at 2 mA. The stimulation will last for 20 minutes each time, with a 10 s fade-in period at the start and a 10-s fade-out period at the end of stimulation. The participants will receive intervention lasting for four weeks(10 sessions).The anodal electrode will be placed over the primary motor cortex (M1), and the reference electrode will be positioned at the center of the forehead.

DEVICE

1 mA transcranial direct current stimulation

The intervention will be conducted using a battery-powered stimulator (TCS-E2000, Shenzhen Yingchi Technology Co., Ltd) through a pair of saline-soaked sponge electrodes (5 cm × 7 cm).The stimulation intensity will be set at 1 mA. The stimulation will last for 20 minutes each time, with a 10 s fade-in period at the start and a 10-s fade-out period at the end of stimulation. The participants will receive intervention lasting for four weeks(10 sessions).The anodal electrode will be placed over the primary motor cortex (M1), and the reference electrode will be positioned at the center of the forehead.

DEVICE

sham transcranial direct current stimulation

The intervention will be conducted using a battery-powered stimulator (TCS-E2000, Shenzhen Yingchi Technology Co., Ltd) through a pair of saline-soaked sponge electrodes (5 cm × 7 cm).The intervention will last for 20 minutes each time, with a 10 s fade-in period at the start and a 10-s fade-out period at the end of stimulation，but there is not current in between. The participants will receive intervention lasting for four weeks(10 sessions).The anodal electrode will be placed over the primary motor cortex (M1), and the reference electrode will be positioned at the center of the forehead.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Beijing Sport University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

25 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-07-20

Primary Completion

2025-09-15

Completion

2025-10-01