Recruiting

Cortical Stimulation

Sponsor:

NYU Langone Health

Code:

NCT03233399

Conditions

Seizures

Seizure Disorder

Psychogenic Movement Disorder

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 65

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Sham TMS3 stimulation

rTMS of left or right angular gyrus (AG) or frontal cortex (FC)

Anodal tDCS of left or right AG or FC

Study Details

Brief summary:

The purpose of this protocol is to learn about movement intention and volition. To improve such knowledge, investigators will conduct sub-studies using multiple non-invasive methodologies. These results could provide preliminary data for subsequent studies evaluating local and global efficacy of plasticity-inducing treatments for PMD symptoms.

Conditions

Seizures

Seizure Disorder

Psychogenic Movement Disorder

Study ID

NCT03233399

Start date

Jul 20, 2017

Status verified date

Nov, 2025

Completion date

May, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

May, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 65

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

(Healthy Controls)

  • Fluent in English

(Patients with PMD or PNES):

  • Diagnosis of PMD/PNES confirmed by a neurologist with expertise in movement disorders.
  • Per the treating neurologist, subject is unlikely to require treatment and/or dosage changes for 3-6 months following screening

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any history of a significant neurological disorder, which may interfere with the interpretation of study data, as determined by the PI
  • Chronic or progressive medical condition
  • Any history of traumatic brain injury or significant head trauma
  • Currently meets criteria for substance abuse or dependence
  • History of any psychotic disorder or other psychiatric condition which may interfere with data interpretation
  • Pregnancy
  • Metal or devices in the head, including neurostimulators or metal foreign bodies
  • Any other implanted metal device, including pacemaker, spinal cord stimulator, VNS.
  • Any other ferromagnetic substance in the body that may increase study risk (including dental prosthetics, etc.).
  • Taking tricyclic antidepressant or antiepileptic medications or CNS active drugs under "strong potential hazard" list in Rossi et al., 2009
  • Current diagnosis of any inflammatory or autoimmune disorder within last 6 months

PMD and PNES Patients

  • Any history of traumatic brain injury or significant head trauma
  • Diagnosis of organic seizure disorder, including febrile seizures and tonic-clonic seizures;
  • Neurological disorder other than PMD and PNES including stroke, fainting spells or syncope of unknown cause(s);
  • Major or unstable medical illness, especially any current diagnosis of inflammatory or autoimmune disorders within last 6 months
  • Metal or devices in the head, including neurostimulators or metal foreign bodies
  • Taking tricyclic antidepressant medications or CNS active drugs under "strong potential hazard" list in Rossi et al., 2009;
  • Diagnosis of dementia, or Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) ≤24;
  • Recurrent visual hallucinations, within the past 6 months;
  • History of significant uncontrollable movements of the head;
  • Any clinically significant abnormality on vital signs

Study Design

Enrollment

30 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Non randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

active comparator: Healthy Patients

All healthy volunteers will complete the healthy volunteer form, MRI safety screening form, and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA).

active comparator: PMD/PNES patients

PMD and PNES subjects will be referred by the treating

Interventions

Sham TMS3 stimulation

half of the subjects will receive sham stimulation first

rTMS of left or right angular gyrus (AG) or frontal cortex (FC)

Half of the subjects will receive active stimulation first; A subject may receive either TMS or tDCS stimulation, but not both, over the course of the sub-study.

Anodal tDCS of left or right AG or FC

Half of the subjects will receive active stimulation first; A subject may receive either TMS or tDCS stimulation, but not both, over the course of the sub-study.

Primary outcome measure

  • Changes in signal intensity measured using of tDCS [ Time Frame: 30 Minutes ]
  • Changes in signal intensity measured during EEG recording [ Time Frame: 3 Hours ]
  • Changes in signal intensity measured during MEG [ Time Frame: 3 Hours ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Nalini Jeet

(212) 263-0228Nalini.Jeet@nyulangone.org

Locations

New York University School of Medicine

Recruiting

New York, New York, United States, 10016

Contacts

Steven Stork

212-263-0001steven.stork@nyumc.org

Principal Investigator:

Biyu He, MD

More Information

Sponsor

NYU Langone Health

Last update posted

Nov 28, 2025

Last verified

Nov, 2025

Keywords

  • Electroencephalography
  • Magnetoencephalography
  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by NYU Langone Health on 2025-11-28.