Enhancing Letter-Speech Sound Learning and Reading Network Activation With Transcranial Electrical Stimulation
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-35
SponsorSilvia Brem
About this trial
This study investigates the effects of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) on the brain and its potential to enhance reading-related learning. Adult participants with a range of reading abilities will receive transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) while they perform an artificial orthography learning task. This task simulates letter-speech sound learning, an important first step during reading acquisition known to be impaired in individuals with developmental dyslexia. The effects of the intervention will be assessed using both behavioral measures and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Age 18-35
All genders
Written informed consent by the participant
German speaking (native)
Disqualifiers
Diagnoses of neurological disorders, intellectual disabilities, or psychiatric disorders (We do not exclude participants with common comorbidities of dyslexia, specifically dyscalculia, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or Autism Spectrum Disorders)
History of any acquired brain damage or evidence of fetal alcohol syndrome
Hearing problems and vision problems that cannot be corrected
Inability to follow procedures or understand the instructions given in (Swiss-)German
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Transcranial random noise stimulation
Other interventionParticipants will receive high-frequency tRNS (max. 1.5 mA) applied to the left superior temporal gyrus. A high-definition setup (3x1 electrodes) will be used to achieve more focal stimulation. Stimulation will be applied during an artificial orthography learning task with simultaneous fMRI acquisition.
Sham Stimulation
Other interventionParticipants will also have electrodes placed on their scalp. The setup is programmed to induce a short ramp-up of the chosen electrical current followed by a ramp-down at the beginning and at the end of the stimulation. In between, no current will be applied. Sham stimulation will be applied during an artificial orthography learning task with simultaneous fMRI acquisition.
Treatment groups
60 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Real StimulationExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Sham StimulationSham comparator 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Performance in the artificial orthography learning task
Performance on the artificial orthography learning task and the artificial orthography reading fluency test will be compared between the stimulation and sham groups.
Time frame
At second session, up to 8 weeks after baseline2
fMRI activation and connectivity during print processing
fMRI activation and connectivity of the posterior superior temporal gyrus and other regions of the reading and audiovisual learning networks will be compared before, during and after transcranial electrical stimulation (tES). The fMRI tasks performed in the second session include artificial orthography learning and explicit print processing (lexical decision task), whereas implicit print processing (one-back task) is performed both at baseline and in the second session. These changes in activation and connectivity will be compared between the stimulation group and the sham group.
Time frame
At baseline (Session 1) and at second session, up to 8 weeks after baselineSecondary outcomes
1
fMRI brain activation and connectivity in further fMRI tasks: audiovisual processing and naturalistic movie watching
Brain activation and connectivity during further fMRI tasks, namely an audiovisual localizer task and a movie-watching paradigm, will be investigated and compared between the two groups. The audiovisual localizer task focuses on brain activation in reading and audiovisual processing regions, and the movie-watching paradigm on connectivity within the resting-state networks.
Time frame
At baseline (Session 1) and at second session, up to 8 weeks after baseline2
Reading and reading-related behavioral measures
Reading and reading-related tasks, such as word and pseudoword reading, will be performed before and after tES to provide a behavioral estimate of reading skills.
Time frame
At baseline (Session 1) and at second session, up to 8 weeks after baseline3
Performance in further cognitive tasks
The performance in further cognitive tasks (working memory, attention, rapid automatized naming) will be compared before and after tES.
Time frame
At baseline (Session 1) and at second session, up to 8 weeks after baselineSponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
Silvia Brem
Lead sponsor
Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich
Sponsor institution
Swiss National Science Foundation
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov