Recruiting

TMS

Sponsor:

University of Pennsylvania

Code:

NCT07180654

Conditions

Cortical Activation

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 20 - 40

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

transcranial magnetic stimulation

Study Details

Brief summary:

Aim 1: Assess how menstrual cycle phase affects motor cortex plasticity in females.

Aim 2: Compare motor cortex plasticity between males and females across the same time points, identifying potential sex differences in TMS response.

Aim 3: Examine associations between serum hormone levels and TMS-induced plasticity within and between sexes.

Conditions

Cortical Activation

Study ID

NCT07180654

Start date

Dec 15, 2025

Status verified date

Jan, 2026

Completion date

Oct 31, 2028

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Oct 31, 2028

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 20 - 40

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Able to give their consent
  • If female, must have menstrual cycles of normal frequency, regularity, and duration.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Non-English speaking
  • Any medical condition that increases risk for TMS
  • History of seizure
  • History of epilepsy
  • Increased risk of seizure for any reason

Study Design

Enrollment

100 participants

Anticipated

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

Volunteers

Single group design

Interventions

transcranial magnetic stimulation

Subjects will receive a series of 60 10s trains that will be presented over the course of the \~3.5 min session. Each train will consist of 2 s of stimulation with an 8 s ITI. During the 2 s of stimulation, 10, 50 Hz bursts will be repeated at intervals of 200 ms (5 Hz). iTBS will be administered at 100% of the motor threshold (MT).

Primary outcome measure

  • Single-pulse TMS [ Time Frame: Will be collected during 3 visits over the course of a 2 month timeframe during different phases of the menstrual cycle (in females). ]
  • Paired pulse stimulation [ Time Frame: Will be collected during 3 visits over the course of a 2 month timeframe during different phases of the menstrual cycle (in females). ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Nicholas Balderston, PhD

12157463058nicholas.balderston@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Locations

University of Pennsylvania

Recruiting

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104

Contacts

Nicholas l Balderston, PhD

215-746-3058nicholas.balderston@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

More Information

Sponsor

University of Pennsylvania

Last update posted

Jan 9, 2026

Last verified

Jan, 2026

Keywords

  • transcranial magnetic stimulation
  • cortical excitability
  • hormones

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-08. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Pennsylvania on 2026-01-09.