Health TrialsbyHealthPanel

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Modulation of Affect and Pain

ConditionWe Are Not Studying a Disease or Condition
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-55
SponsorTrustees of Dartmouth College

About this trial

This double-blind randomized crossover study aims to examine the effects of left primary motor cortex (M1) tDCS on evoked thermal pain perception, pain-related decision making, and placebo effects by manipulated pain and monetary offers accepted by others. The investigators plan to collect data for up to 50 participants who undergo four separate sessions: an initial pain calibration session and three experimental sessions with either anodal, cathodal, or sham tDCS. Each session includes pain testing before and after a single tDCS protocol (either anodal, cathodal, or sham), a pain-monetary decision-making task, and social placebo pain tests. All tasks following tDCS will take place inside the MR scanner. The investigators hypothesize that anodal M1 tDCS will decrease pain ratings, and that cathodal tDCS will increase them, both relative to the sham condition. The investigators will also examine the effects of M1 tDCS on social decision-making to examine whether it affects participants' valuation of pain and their altruistic behavior, as well as how these same factors impact pain sensation in the placebo task. The investigators hypothesize that participants will behave hyperaltruistically during the decision-making task, and that the same factors that influence choice will also impact pain perception in the same context.

Eligibility criteria

This trial accepts healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

ages 18-55

Participants must be capable of performing experimental tasks (e.g., are able to read)

Fluent or native speakers of English

Disqualifiers

No self-reported current or history of depression, bipolar disorder, or other psychiatric diagnosis.

No self-reported current seizure disorder (i.e., seizure within past 10 years)

No history of stroke or other major neurological diagnosis.

No self-reported current chronic pain, or acute pain within three months of the study period.

Trial design

Design model

Crossover

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Anodal tDCS

    Other intervention

    Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is an experimental manipulation of brain circuitry using electrical current applied to the scalp. The equipment is commercially available (StarStim8, Neuroelectrics, Spain) and marketed for experimental research on brain function. Current is applied at 2 mA for 20 minutes. Electrodes are placed on the C3 and FP2 regions. There is a 30-second ramp-up and 30-second ramp-down of stimulation for each tDCS condition to minimize any discomfort during stimulation. In the anodal condition, real tDCS stimulation enters from the C3 electrode, and exits at the FP2 electrode.

  • Cathodal tDCS

    Other intervention

    Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is an experimental manipulation of brain circuitry using electrical current applied to the scalp. The equipment is commercially available (StarStim8, Neuroelectrics, Spain) and marketed for experimental research on brain function. Current is applied at 2 mA for 20 minutes. Electrodes are placed on the C3 and FP2 regions. There is a 30-second ramp-up and 30-second ramp-down of stimulation for each tDCS condition to minimize any discomfort during stimulation. In the cathodal condition, real tDCS stimulation enters from the FP2 electrode, and exits at the C3 electrode.

  • Sham tDCS

    Other intervention

    This is the sham (or placebo) tDCS intervention. The tDCS device is applied for one minute, for a 30-second ramp-up and 30-second ramp-down of stimulation.

Treatment groups

50 Participants
are divided into 6 treatment groups

6

Treatment groups

See each treatment group below.

Group A: Condition 1: Anodal tDCS -> Cathodal tDCS -> Sham tDCSOther 3 interventions
Group B: Condition 2: Anodal tDCS -> Sham tDCS -> Cathodal tDCSOther 3 interventions
Group C: Condition 3: Sham tDCS -> Cathodal tDCS -> Anodal tDCSOther 3 interventions
Group D: Condition 4: Sham tDCS -> Anodal tDCS -> Cathodal tDCSOther 3 interventions
Group E: Condition 5: Cathodal tDCS -> Sham tDCS -> Anodal tDCSOther 3 interventions
Group F: Condition 6: Cathodal tDCS -> Anodal tDCS -> Sham tDCSOther 3 interventions

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Pain Visual Analogue Scale

Self-reported pain level following each thermal stimulus, measured on a visual analog scale. 0-100 scale with 0 indicating no pain and higher values indicating more pain.

Time frame
3-10 sec post-stimulus throughout testing sessions, on average complete within 1 month

Secondary outcomes

Other outcomes

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

Trustees of Dartmouth College

Lead sponsor

Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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