Spatial Navigation Clinical Trial
Official title:
Modulating Spatial Processing During Goal-directed Navigation Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Our specific aim is to examine the effects of TMS on spatial processing during goal-directed navigation. In these experiments the investigators will utilize a scalp-recorded brain oscillation called right posterior theta that is believed to index the sensitivity of the parahippocampal cortex to spatial context. Here the investigators will asked whether this electrophysiological signal can be modulated up or down using TMS while participants engage in virtual navigation tasks, and if so, whether it would affect the spatial encoding of rewards and subsequent choices during task performance.
Status | Recruiting |
Enrollment | 60 |
Est. completion date | August 31, 2025 |
Est. primary completion date | August 31, 2025 |
Accepts healthy volunteers | Accepts Healthy Volunteers |
Gender | All |
Age group | 18 Years to 55 Years |
Eligibility | Inclusion Criteria: 1. Be between the ages of 18 and 55 years old. 2. Not received substance abuse treatment within the previous 30 days. 3. Be in stable mental and physical health. 4. If female, test non-pregnant. 5. No evidence of focal or diffuse brain lesion on MRI. 6. Be willing to provide informed consent. 7. Be able to comply with protocol requirements and likely to complete all study procedures. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Contraindication to MRI (e.g., presence of metal in the skull, orbits or intracranial cavity, claustrophobia). 2. Contraindication to rTMS (history of neurological disorder or seizure, increased intracranial pressure, brain surgery, or head trauma with loss of consciousness for > 15 minutes, implanted electronic device, metal in the head, or pregnancy). 3. History of autoimmune, endocrine, viral, or vascular disorder affecting the brain. 4. History or MRI evidence of neurological disorder that would lead to local or diffuse brain lesions or significant physical impairment. 5. Life time history of mental disorders such as: Bipolar Affective disorder (BPAD), Schizophrenia, Post-traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) or Dementia or Major Depression. uninterruptable central nervous system medication. |
Country | Name | City | State |
---|---|---|---|
United States | Rutgers University - Newark | Newark | New Jersey |
Lead Sponsor | Collaborator |
---|---|
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey |
United States,
Type | Measure | Description | Time frame | Safety issue |
---|---|---|---|---|
Primary | Event-related Brain Oscillation: Right Posterior Theta | Right posterior theta (RPT: 4-8 hz) is a scalp recorded brain oscillation sensitive to spatial processing of reward stimulus presented during navigation tasks. RPT will be measured during the presentation of the reward stimulus (Reward, No-reward) during virtual navigation. A time-frequency analysis will be used to measure RPT power for each electrode by averaging the single-trial EEG according to feedback type (reward and no-reward) during the navigation tasks. The size of the RPT will be determined by identifying the maximum amplitude of the RPT response and evaluated at posterior electrodes. The RPT will be measured for each proposed right posterior target across active and sham groups, and used to measure the efficacy of the TMS target to modulate brain activity associated with spatial processing. | Day 0 (day of testing) | |
Primary | Spatial Recall performance | Spatial recall performance learning will be measured using the Linear Track maze. During an initial encoding phase participants are exposed to five pairs of distinct pillars (landmarks), and only one of the pillar location will be paired with a reward cue. Then during the recall phase, participants are presented with old and new landmarks, and must recall which landmark contained the reward. A correct response would result in a 5-cent reward. Recall performance will be assessed using d-prime, which is calculated as the normalized distance between the probability distributions of the hit rate and the false alarm rate. This parameter represents how well subjects were able to maximize correct hits while minimizing false alarms. High recall performance is measured as a subject's ability to correctly identify rewarded pillars and reject non-rewarded pillars, as well as pillars that were not present during the last trial. | Day 0 (day of testing) |
Status | Clinical Trial | Phase | |
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