The study examines the effects of the combined use of two different non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques targeting the DLPFC on stress reactivity and recovery.
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) will be combined with intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS) in order to maximize the effects coming from each of the techniques on their own. A group of 74 healthy participants wil be submitted to two different stimulation protocols (sham tDCS + active iTBS and active tDCS + active iTBS) with one-week in between and results on stress reactivity will be examined. In order to improve therapeutic protocols, this study with healthy participants is a crucial first step in order to further conduct clinical studies with psychiatric samples.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
74
A current of 2 milliampère (mA) through electrodes of 5x5cm.
Similar set-up as in the active tDCS, but stimulation is too short to cause any effects.
54 cycles with 10 bursts of 3 pulses, train duration of 2 seconds and intertrain intervals of 6 seconds, results in 1620 pulses at 110% resting motor threshold.
University Hospital Ghent
Ghent, Belgium
Changes in heart rate variability (HRV)
Variability in time between two heartbeats
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of two weeks
Changes in heart rate (HR)
Beats per minute
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of two weeks
Changes in blood pressure (BP)
Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP)
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of two weeks
Changes in electrodermal activity (EDA)
Peak amplitudes of Skin Conductive Responses (SCRs)
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of two weeks
Changes in state-dependent mood
Visual analogue scales (VAS): total scores will be reported (range 0 to 10) with higher scores indicating worse outcome
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of two weeks
Changes in state-dependent ruminative thinking
Brief State Rumination Inventory (BSRI): total scores will be reported (range 0 to 80) with higher scores indicating worse outcome
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of two weeks
Changes in anxiety features - self-report
State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI): total scores will be reported (range 0 to 160) with higher scores indicating worse outcome
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of two weeks
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