Recruiting

TMS

Sponsor:

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Code:

NCT05801861

Conditions

Spatial Navigation

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 55

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Active 10-Hz TMS to the parietal cortex

Active single pulse TMS to the parietal cortex

Sham 10-Hz TMS to the right parietal cortex

Sham single-pulse rTMS the rigt parietal cortex

Study Details

Brief summary:

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.

Conditions

Spatial Navigation

Study ID

NCT05801861

Start date

Mar 24, 2023

Status verified date

Nov, 2025

Completion date

Aug 31, 2026

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Aug 31, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 55

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

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.

Study Design

Enrollment

60 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Active 10-Hz rTMS

For the first TMS session, participants will receive 10-Hz repetitive TMS (rTMS) delivered at 110% of participants' resting motor threshold over the predefined parietal target for a total of 2250 pulses. For the second TMS session, participants will receive single pulse TMS during the phase target of each task trial and delivered at 110% of participants' resting motor threshold over the predefined parietal target for a total of 200 pulses.

experimental: Active single-pulse rTMS

For the first TMS session, participants will receive a single TMS pulse during the phase target of each task trial and delivered at 110% of participants' resting motor threshold over the predefined parietal target for a total of 300 pulses. For the second TMS session, participants will receive single pulse TMS during the phase target of each task trial and delivered at 110% of participants' resting motor threshold over the predefined parietal target for a total of 200 pulses.

sham comparator: Sham 10-Hz rTMS

Identical parameters of the active 10-Hz rTMS group will be applied to the SHAM group with the exception that the TMS coil will be flipped 180º to mimic auditory stimulation.

sham comparator: Sham single-pulse rTMS

Identical parameters of the active single-pulse rTMS group will be applied to the SHAM group with the exception that the TMS coil will be flipped 180º to mimic auditory stimulation.

Interventions

Active 10-Hz TMS to the parietal cortex

The active 10-Hz TMS group will receive 10hz TMS stimulation in the first TMS session, and single pulse TMS in the second TMS session. Participants in the active stimulation group will receive 10-Hz TMS to right parietal cortex. The TMS target will be based on subject specific anatomical MRI images (diffusion imaging). TMS will be delivered using a robotic neuronavigation system (Smartmove, ANT). Stimulation intensity will be standardized at 110% of RMT and adjusted to the skull to cortical surface based on e-field calculations (simnibs). Stimulation will be delivered to the right parietal cortex using an active/placebo figure-8 coil, an magventure TMS device.

Active single pulse TMS to the parietal cortex

The active single pulse TMS group will receive single pulse TMS stimulation in the first and second TMS session. Participants in the active stimulation group will receive single pulse TMS to right parietal cortex. The TMS target will be based on subject specific anatomical MRI images (diffusion imaging). TMS will be delivered using a robotic neuronavigation system (Smartmove, ANT). Stimulation intensity will be standardized at 110% of RMT and adjusted to the skull to cortical surface based on e-field calculations (simnibs). Stimulation will be delivered to the right parietal cortex using an active/placebo figure-8 coil, an magventure TMS device.

Sham 10-Hz TMS to the right parietal cortex

The parameters in the active arms will be as above with the internal randomization of the device internally switching to sham in a blinded fashion.

Sham single-pulse rTMS the rigt parietal cortex

The parameters in the active arms will be as above with the internal randomization of the device internally switching to sham in a blinded fashion.

Primary outcome measure

  • Event-related Brain Oscillation: Right Posterior Theta [ Time Frame: Day 0 (day of testing) ]
  • Spatial Recall performance [ Time Frame: Day 0 (day of testing) ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Travis E Baker, PhD

973-353-5485travis.e.baker@rutgers.edu

Malte Gueth

973-353-3509mrg217@newark.rutgers.edu

Locations

Rutgers University - Newark

Recruiting

Newark, New Jersey, United States, 07102

Contacts

Travis E Baker, PhD

973-353-5485travis.e.baker@rutgers.edu

Malte Gueth

973-353-3509mrg217@newark.rutgers.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Last update posted

Nov 17, 2025

Last verified

Nov, 2025

Keywords

  • transcranial magnetic stimulation
  • spatial processing
  • EEG
  • neuroimaging

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey on 2025-11-17.