CI

At a glance

ClinicalIndex Comparison Record
N/ACompleted· 17 enrolled
Drug / intervention
active TMS +4 moredevice
Likely dose
Not stated in record
Structured eligibility isn't available for this trial yet — see the full criteria in the Eligibility tab below.

Standardized by ClinicalIndex from the ClinicalTrials.gov record · verify against the source.

Search/NCT04586205
NCT04586205N/ACompleted
CompareCT.gov

A Pilot Proof of Concept, Within Subjects, Randomized Study of the Effects of Activation of the DLPFC Promotion System on TMS Treatment

University of Pennsylvania·interventional·Posted Oct 14, 2020·Updated May 31, 2025

In Brief

A clinical study evaluating active TMS, sham TMS, and 3 other interventions for Healthy. Completed, enrolled 17 participants across 1 site.

Detailed Summary

This pilot, within-subjects, randomized proof-of-concept study investigates the effects of activating the DLPFC promotion system on TMS treatment outcomes. Twenty-five healthy volunteers will participate in four sessions involving either active or sham repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Using anatomically guided TMS paired with cognitive tasks, the study tests the hypothesis that cognitive paired associative stimulation enhances cortical responses. For this pilot study, we are focusing only on the augmentation of TMS with the IASP task.

Study Details

Study Typeinterventional
Allocation--
Masking--
Primary Purpose--
ConditionsHealthy
CountriesUnited States
Collaborators--

Timeline

N/ACompletedFinished
2020202120222023202420252026
First PostedOct 14, 2020
Enrollment StartApr 7, 2019
Primary CompletionMar 4, 2020
Study CompletionMar 11, 2024
TodayJul 2, 2026
Enrollment to primary: 11 monthsPosted 5.7 years ago

Interventions

active TMSdevice

Participants receive active repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) while performing the International Affective Picture System (IASP). Stimulation is delivered at 120% of resting motor threshold (RMT), in triplet 50 Hz bursts, repeated at 5 Hz (2s on, 8s off), totaling 600 pulses per session.

sham TMSdevice

Participants receive sham rTMS while performing the IASP task. Stimulation is mimicked without actual neural activation using the same schedule and coil placement as the active condition.

IASP Taskbehavioral

Participants complete the IASP (emotional image viewing) task during each TMS session (active and sham). The task includes both high- and low-load trials, designed to activate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Task order and load levels are consistent across both stimulation sessions.

SST Taskbehavioral

In a separate MRI session prior to TMS sessions, participants complete the SST which includes both high-load and low-load trials. This cognitive task is used to examine baseline DLPFC activation and to contrast cognitive vs. emotional activation profiles.

MRIother

Participants undergo MRI sessions to measure DLPFC cortical reactivity and connectivity.