Recruiting

Temporal Interference

Sponsor:

Indiana University

Code:

NCT07339072

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 50

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Temporal Interference (TI) Electrical Stimulation - NAcc 5 Hz TI Active

Temporal Interference (TI) Electrical Stimulation - NAcc 5 Hz TI Sham

Temporal Interference (TI) Electrical Stimulation - NAcc 10 Hz TI Active

Temporal Interference (TI) Electrical Stimulation - NAcc 10 Hz TI Sham

Study Details

Brief summary:

In its totality, this grant aims to develop a line of research using temporal interference (TI) electrical neurostimulation technology to understand the causal role of deep brain structures in cognition. In the short term, the investigators aim to validate and characterize the effects of TI on brain activity as measured by fMRI and demonstrate its ability to focally stimulate deep brain regions without affecting overlying cortex. In the longer term, investigators aim to use these data to resolve longstanding debates about the function of deeper brain regions and lay the foundation for future clinical applications of TI for treating addiction, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Parkinson's disease, and other disorders involving deep brain dysfunction. The grant supports 2 distinct aims, each of which will be evaluated through a series of independent studies.

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers

Study ID

NCT07339072

Start date

Feb 3, 2026

Status verified date

Feb, 2026

Completion date

Apr 8, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Apr 1, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 50

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Between the ages of 18 and 50
  • Must have at least a 6th grade education
  • Ability to speak and read English for all phases

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Currently taking psychotropic medications for ADHD, other mental illness, or medications for cancer
  • History of epilepsy or seizure disorders
  • History of migraines or other neurological syndromes
  • History of AIDS (due to potential cognitive deficits)
  • History of head trauma or cognitive impairments
  • Personal experiences consistent with symptoms of psychosis (e.g., hallucinations, delusions of control or special powers)
  • History of skull defects (e.g., holes bored into the skull or known cranial fissures)
  • Metal implants in the head or under the scalp
  • Does not meet fMRI safety screening criteria (e.g., metal implants in the body, permanent jewelry, tattoos on the head or neck)
  • Uses an intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control and cannot provide documentation to verify MRI safety
  • Pregnancy (self-reported; no pregnancy test administered)
  • Weight over 440 lbs (scanner weight limit)
  • Presence of pacemakers

Study Design

Enrollment

30 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Crossover

Primary purpose

Basic Science

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

active comparator: NAcc 5 Hz TI Active, then NAcc 5 Hz TI Sham, then NAcc 10 Hz TI Active, then NAcc 10 Hz TI Sham

Participants in this arm receive temporal interference (TI) electrical stimulation targeting the nucleus accumbens using two pairs of carbon fiber electrodes in the following order: 5 Hz TI Active, 5 Hz TI Sham, 10 Hz TI Active, then 10 Hz TI Sham.

active comparator: NAcc 5 Hz TI Sham, then NAcc 5 Hz TI Active, then NAcc 10 Hz TI Sham, then NAcc 10 Hz TI Active

Participants in this arm receive temporal interference (TI) electrical stimulation targeting the nucleus accumbens using two pairs of carbon fiber electrodes in the following order: 5 Hz TI Sham, 5 Hz TI Active, 10 Hz TI Sham, then 10 Hz TI Active.

active comparator: NAcc 10 Hz TI Sham, then NAcc 10 Hz TI Active, then NAcc 5 Hz TI Sham, then NAcc 5 Hz TI Active

Participants in this arm receive temporal interference (TI) electrical stimulation targeting the nucleus accumbens using two pairs of carbon fiber electrodes in the following order: 10 Hz TI Sham, 10 Hz TI Active, 5 Hz TI Sham, then 5 Hz TI Active.

active comparator: NAcc 10 Hz TI Active, then NAcc 10 Hz TI Sham, then NAcc 5 Hz TI Active, then NAcc 5 Hz TI Sham

Participants in this arm receive temporal interference (TI) electrical stimulation targeting the nucleus accumbens using two pairs of carbon fiber electrodes in the following order: 10 Hz TI Active, 10 Hz TI Sham, 5 Hz TI Active, then 5 Hz TI Sham.

Interventions

Temporal Interference (TI) Electrical Stimulation - NAcc 5 Hz TI Active

Non-invasive electrical brain stimulation delivered through two sets of scalp electrodes using alternating current frequencies at up to 2 mA per electrode. For the NAcc 5 Hz TI Active condition, one channel will deliver 2000 Hz and the other 2005 Hz, producing a 5 Hz beat frequency that focally stimulates deep brain regions without activating overlying cortex. Stimulation is administered in 2-minute on / 2-minute off cycles with a 30-second ramp up and ramp down beginning at the start of each 2-minute period.

Temporal Interference (TI) Electrical Stimulation - NAcc 5 Hz TI Sham

Same setup as the 5 Hz TI Active condition, except that the stimulation immediately ramps down as soon as it reaches 2 mA after ramp up, producing a sham condition.

Temporal Interference (TI) Electrical Stimulation - NAcc 10 Hz TI Active

Non-invasive electrical brain stimulation delivered through two sets of scalp electrodes using alternating current frequencies at up to 2 mA per electrode. For the NAcc 10 Hz TI Active condition, one channel will deliver 2000 Hz and the other 2010 Hz, producing a 10 Hz beat frequency that focally stimulates deep brain regions without activating overlying cortex. Stimulation is administered in 2-minute on / 2-minute off cycles with a 30-second ramp up and ramp down beginning at the start of each 2-minute period.

Temporal Interference (TI) Electrical Stimulation - NAcc 10 Hz TI Sham

Same setup as the 10 Hz TI Active condition, except that the stimulation immediately ramps down as soon as it reaches 2 mA after ramp up, producing a sham condition.

Primary outcome measure

  • Change in brain activity in the nucleus accumbens during 5 Hz versus 10 Hz temporal interference stimulation [ Time Frame: During fMRI scan on study day (approximately 60 minutes) ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Joshua W Brown, PhD

812-855-9282jwmbrown@iu.edu

Kendall E Moore, BS

812-856-1846kem12@iu.edu

Locations

Indiana University Bloomington, Imaging Research Facility

Recruiting

Bloomington, Indiana, United States, 47408

Contacts

Josh W Brown, PhD

812-856-1846cclab@iu.edu

Kendall E Moore, BS

(812) 856-1846kem12@iu.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Indiana University

Last update posted

Feb 10, 2026

Last verified

Feb, 2026

Keywords

  • Temporal Interference
  • fMRI
  • BOLD Signal
  • Cognitive Control
  • Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex
  • Non-invasive deep brain stimulation
  • Neurostimulation

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-08. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Indiana University on 2026-02-10.