Recruiting

HD-tDCS

Sponsor:

University of Michigan

Code:

NCT06561165

Conditions

Healthy

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 65 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Standard HD-tDCS intervention

Multifocal network targeted HD-tDCS intervention

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Study Details

Brief summary:

The purpose of this study is to understand how the brain controls movement and how Non-invasive Brain Stimulation (NIBS) with a technique called High-density transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) can alter brain processes to improve behavior. Participants in this study will be randomized to either HD-tDCS with standard intervention or personalized dose-controlled multifocal network-targeted HD-tDCS.

The hypothesis is that dexterous hand function will improve after a standard HD-tDCS dose and increase even more after personalized dose-controlled multifocal network-targeted HD-tDCS.

Conditions

Healthy

Study ID

NCT06561165

Start date

Feb 25, 2025

Status verified date

Feb, 2026

Completion date

Jan 25, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jan 25, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 65 - 70+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Participants should be in good health with normal or corrected-to-normal visual acuity
  • Right handed
  • No history of neurological disorder
  • English speaker
  • Able to provide written consent prior to admission

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Left-handed
  • Participants are pregnant, suspect pregnancy or are attempting to become pregnant
  • Have a pacemaker, intracardiac lines or any other medically implanted device or medicine pump
  • Have cochlear hearing implants
  • Taking drugs known to influence neural receptors that facilitate neuroplasticity (see protocol)
  • Have non removable body piercings or have foreign objects in body
  • Have metal anywhere in the head that could increase risk of serious injury (not including braces, dental fillings, etc.) (see protocol)
  • Have a personal or family history of seizure/epilepsy
  • Taking prescription drugs that lower the threshold for seizures
  • Recent history of excessive alcohol consumption
  • History of alcohol addiction/dependence
  • Recent history of recreational drug use
  • History of drug addiction/dependence
  • Recent history of recreational drug use
  • History of drug addiction/dependence
  • Diagnosed with a stroke, brain hemorrhage, brain tumor, encephalitis.
  • Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
  • Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease
  • Diagnosed with depression in the past 6 months
  • Diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia, manic depressive (bipolar) disorder
  • Diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus or increased intra-cranial pressure
  • Diabetes requiring insulin treatment
  • Any serious heart disorder or liver disease

Study Design

Enrollment

40 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: HD-tDCS with standard intervention

Participants will have three daily sessions.

experimental: Personalized dose-controlled multifocal network-targeted HD-tDCS.

Participants will have three daily sessions.

Interventions

Standard HD-tDCS intervention

Participants will have three sessions along with behavioral assessments.

Multifocal network targeted HD-tDCS intervention

Participants will have three sessions along with behavioral assessments.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Participants will have an MRI before or after having HD-tDCS intervention.

Primary outcome measure

  • Percent change in precision force-tracking task [ Time Frame: Baseline and 24 hours after the third sessions are completed ]
  • Percentage change in the time to complete the nine-hole peg test (9-HPT) [ Time Frame: Baseline and 24 hours after the third sessions are completed ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Michael Vesia, PhD

734-764-5237mvesia@umich.edu

Locations

University of Michigan

Recruiting

Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109

Contacts

Michael Vesia, PhD

734-764-5237mvesia@umich.edu

Principal Investigator:

Michael Vesia, PhD

More Information

Sponsor

University of Michigan

Last update posted

Feb 17, 2026

Last verified

Feb, 2026

Keywords

  • Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
  • High-density transcranial direct current stimulation
  • manual dexterity
  • Non-invasive brain stimulation

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Michigan on 2026-02-17.