Studying Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Cognitive Tasks to Find Best Design Parameters

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation TMS on cognitive performance, focusing on attention, learning, and memory. This study aims to find the best task design and TMS settings to produce clear and reliable changes in cognition. TMS is a non-invasive brain stimulation method that can either increase or decrease brain activity and is being explored for its potential in understanding and improving cognitive function in conditions such as dementia and schizophrenia. Participants will perform cognitive tasks while receiving either active TMS or sham non-stimulating TMS to the brain. The study uses a randomized, single-blind design to compare these two types of stimulation. The interventions include repetitive TMS to the brain and a sham scalp stimulation that does not affect brain activity. Each participant completes a single one-hour session without follow-up. During the study visit, participants will complete the Sternberg Memory Task to measure accuracy and reaction time under TMS conditions. The researchers will monitor behavioral effects to determine optimal task and stimulation parameters. The study involves healthy volunteers aged 18 to 65 who are right-handed and fluent in English. There is no long-term follow-up, and the total participation time is about one hour.

Brain Stimulation Effects on Cognitive Task Performance