Brain zapping study reveals secrets of body awareness and skill learning
NCT ID NCT05739994
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This completed study at Indiana University looked at how different parts of the brain help us sense where our limbs are and learn new hand movements. Researchers used a gentle brain stimulation technique called TMS in 118 healthy adults to temporarily quiet certain brain areas. Participants then performed tasks measuring their sense of limb position and accuracy tracing a maze. The goal is to use this knowledge to design better rehabilitation for people with movement problems.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this research could point toward better rehabilitation methods for people with movement problems after brain injury.
- What could go wrong
- This is a basic science study with no direct treatment goal. The findings may not translate into practical therapies, and the small, healthy participant group limits generalizability.
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
-
118 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Jun 2023
- Finished
-
Dec 2024
- 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
-
18 to 45 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: * Potential subjects must be between the ages of 18-45 years old and right-handed. * We will only test right-handed individuals. * We will only include individuals who report being free of Covid symptoms in week preceding testing. Exclusion Criteria: * Current vision problems, other than needing glasses or contacts. * Subjects will also be excluded if they currently suffer from frequent severe headaches, glaucoma, heart or respiratory disease, hypertension, psychiatric conditions, or learning or attention conditions. * They will also be excluded for current or past: visual, hearing, or balance impairments; stroke, seizure/epilepsy (including family history), or severe head trauma; fainting; or diabetes. * Subjects will be excluded for metal implants in the head other than titanium; cochlear implants; implanted neurostimulator; cardiac pacemaker; intracardiac lines; or a medication infusion device. * Because TMS does not penetrate deeply into the head, we cannot test subjects whose hair does not permit contact between the TMS coil and the scalp. We will therefore exclude subjects with dreadlocks, weaves, or hair extensions. * To protect the data from extraneous peripheral influences, we will also exclude subjects who have had serious injury to the bones, joints, or muscles of either hand or arm, and have not fully recovered. For the purpose of this study, "fully recovered" means they no longer notice any pain, weakness, or loss of sensation in the injured area, and have no mobility limitations. * For the validity of our data, we will exclude subjects taking medications or drugs that are known to affect cortical excitability and possibly seizure risk in an rTMS study. These medications/drugs are (Rossi et al., 2009): imipramine, amitriptyline, doxepine, nortriptyline, maprotiline, chlorpromazine, clozapine, foscarnet, ganciclovir, ritonavir, amphetamines, cocaine, (MDMA, ecstasy), phencyclidine (PCP, angel's dust), ketamine, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), theophylline, mianserin, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, citalopram, reboxetine, venlafaxine, duloxetine, bupropion, mirtazapine, fluphenazine, pimozide, haloperidol, olanzapine, quetiapine, aripiprazole, ziprasidone, risperidone, chloroquine, mefloquine, imipenem, penicillin, ampicillin, cephalosporins, metronidazole, isoniazid, levofloxacin, cyclosporin, chlorambucil, vincristine, methotrexate, cytosine arabinoside, BCNU, lithium, anticholinergics, antihistamines, sympathomimetics. * Participants will also be excluded if they have metallic, mechanical, or magnetic implants; are claustrophobic, or are unable to remain still for long periods of time; or use an intra-uterine device (IUD) whos MR compatibility has not been established. * Women who are pregnant or think they might be pregnant will also be excluded, as effects of fMRI on the unborn are not known. * People who have a BMI over 30 will be excluded as it may be uncomfortable or impossible to lay in the MRI scanner. * Potential subjects will be invited to reschedule if they would otherwise be eligible (according to the initial screening), but the day of testing have drunk more than 3 units of alcohol or taken other recreational drugs in the 24 hour period prior to testing; have had more than 3 cups of coffee in the last hour; are sleep deprived (\<4 hours sleep the previous night); or have participated in another brain stimulation experiment the same day. These are standard in the TMS literature to protect the validity of the data and keep seizure risk minimal. In addition, we will invite invite subjects to reschedule if they have any of the common Covid symptoms within the last week. If they don't believe they can meet these criteria on another date, they will be excluded. * After giving their consent, participants may be excluded during or after the familiarization session if they are unable to perform the tasks or follow instructions, or if their TMS stimulation parameters cannot be reliably determined by the experimenter, or if TMS is not well tolerated.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Basic science are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Indiana University Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana, 47405, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- New manufacturing site for RAY1225 put to the test
- Can the brain rewire when hands and eyes disagree?
- Brain scans reveal LSD's grip on serotonin receptors
- Radioactive tag reveals Drug's exit route in tiny trial
- Mint lozenge and water additive tested for microbiome impact in 595-Person study
- One hard bike ride could change your balance and brain – study reveals