Scientists zap brains to unlock secrets of movement
NCT ID NCT00453505
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Sep 02, 2026 · Updated 8 times
Summary
This completed early-phase study tested how different types of noninvasive brain stimulation—like magnetic or electrical pulses—affect motor function in healthy adults. Over 1,000 participants took part in up to 20 sessions each, with researchers measuring brain activity and movement. The goal was to find the best stimulation settings for future studies in patients with neurological disorders.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- noninvasive brain stimulation (TMS, tDCS, tACS, and nerve stimulation)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this research could help design better stimulation protocols for treating movement problems after conditions like stroke.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early exploratory study in healthy volunteers, not a treatment trial. Results may not apply to patients, and optimal stimulation parameters remain uncertain.
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
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Early phase 1
The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.
- Participants
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976 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2007
- Finished
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Dec 2019
- Lead sponsor
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A government research agency
The lead sponsor is the US National Institutes of Health.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 120 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
* INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Age 18 and older 2. Willingness and ability to give consent 3. Normal neurological examination 4. Clearly dominant handedness (right or left) as assessed by Handedness scales EXCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Any severe or progressive neurological disorder or severe medical condition, or history of seizures 2. Chronic use of medications acting primarily on the central nervous system, which lower the seizure threshold or significantly alter cortical excitability such as antipsychotic drugs (chlorpromazine, clozapine), tricyclic or other antidepressants, or prescription stimulants. 3. Pacemakers or other implanted electrical devices, brain stimulators, some types of dental implants, aneurysm clips (metal clips on the wall of a large artery), metallic prostheses (including metal pins and rods, heart valves, and cochlear implants), permanent eyeliner, implanted delivery pump, or shrapnel fragments 4. Diagnosis of drug dependence made by a health care provider (ICD-9-CM code 304) 5. Staff from our section
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States