Brain zaps reveal how hormones shape your Brain's flexibility
NCT ID NCT07180654
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This pilot study at the University of Pennsylvania uses transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to measure how menstrual cycle hormones influence brain plasticity in healthy young adults. Researchers will compare brain responses between females at different cycle phases and males over the same time points. The goal is to understand sex differences in brain adaptability, which may inform future research on neurological conditions.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could help scientists understand how hormones influence brain adaptability, potentially guiding future treatments for neurological conditions.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage pilot study focused on healthy volunteers, not patients. It measures brain activity, not treatment effects, so direct medical benefits are unlikely.
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.
- Participants
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About 100 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Dec 2025
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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.
Who is studied
Participants will be recruited from the community in the Philadelphia Metro Area.
- Ages
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20 to 40 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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: * 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
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Pennsylvania
RECRUITINGPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States
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