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Can a gentle brain current make teen musicians play better?

NCT ID NCT07826923

Symptom relief Sponsor: Centro Universitário Augusto Motta Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 17, 2026 · Last updated Sep 18, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers are testing whether a single session of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can affect musical performance in instrumentalists and singers aged 12 to 16. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either active stimulation or a sham (inactive) version. They perform a learned piece before, right after, and two hours after stimulation, while blinded expert raters score technical, expressive, and stage aspects. The study also tracks safety and tolerability.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a safe way to help young musicians perform better under pressure, or inform how brain stimulation affects skilled movement and expression.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study with only 30 participants and a single stimulation session. Any performance changes may be temporary, may not translate to real-world playing, and the procedure can cause mild scalp tingling, itching, or headache.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 30 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Oct 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

12 to 16 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 12 to 16 years, inclusive, at the time of enrollment. * Regular participation in instrumental or vocal music training for at least 12 months. * Ability to safely perform a previously learned musical piece or excerpt lasting approximately 1 to 2 minutes. * General health status compatible with participation, confirmed through a pre-session safety screening. * No known neurological or clinical condition considered to increase the risk associated with stimulation. * No current use of medication or substances considered by the study team to substantially alter cortical excitability or increase procedural risk. * Written informed consent from a legal guardian. * Written assent from the adolescent and voluntary willingness to participate. Exclusion Criteria: * History of epilepsy or non-febrile seizures. * Relevant brain injury, previous cranial surgery, or other neurological condition considered incompatible with the protocol. * Pacemaker, implanted electronic device, neurostimulator, or cranial metallic implant that could pose a risk or interfere with stimulation. * Current use of anticonvulsant medication or other medication considered by the study team to represent a contraindication or unacceptable precaution. * Previous experience with tDCS when such experience could compromise blinding. * Dermatitis, wounds, infection, burns, significant pain, or other scalp abnormalities at the planned electrode sites. * Known or suspected pregnancy, as a precaution; pregnancy testing will not be performed as part of the study. * Acute illness or relevant symptoms on the day of the session, including fever, significant headache, persistent dizziness, or relevant sleep deprivation, when these findings justify postponement or exclusion for safety reasons.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Musical performance Neuromodulation

How to take part

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Orquestra Maré do Amanhã

    Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21042-432, Brazil

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