tDCS and Urge in BFRBs

N/ARecruitingNCT07019571

Gopalkumar Rakesh55 enrolled

Overview

The goal of this study is to find out if brain stimulation can help people stop skin-picking or nail-biting. The study wants to answer two main questions: 1. Does brain stimulation reduce the urge to pick skin or bite nails after those urges are triggered? 2. Does brain stimulation reduce how often people pick their skin or bite their nails? Participants will: * Talk about their skin-picking, nail-biting, and other mental health concerns * Be placed in situations that make them want to pick or bite * Rate how strong their urges are before and after brain stimulation Researchers will compare real brain stimulation to a placebo (a fake version that looks the same but has no effect) to see if the real stimulation works to reduce skin-picking and nail-biting urges and behaviors.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Repetitive Compulsive Behavior

Interventions

tDCS will be delivered for 13 minutes (active) or only at the beginning and end of the 13 minute period (sham) using Neuroelectrics Instrument Controller software and a battery-driven Starstim 8-channel transcranial direct current stimulator with 1cm2 ceramic electrodes and SIGNAGEL conductive saline gel.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 60 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Ability to provide informed consent (as established by clinical interview), and voluntary, signed informed consent prior to the performance of any study specific * Ability and willingness to perform study-relevant clinical assessments and tDCS * Endorses mild to extreme intensity of urges to pick or bite their skin or nails Exclusion Criteria: * Any unstable medical, psychiatric, or neurological condition (including active or otherwise problematic suicidality) that may necessitate urgent treatment * Daily use of psychotropic medications that substantially lower seizure threshold (e.g., clozapine) * History of psychosis, mania, major neurological disorder, significant head trauma, or seizures/epilepsy * Current suicidal intent * Any major neurological disease or history of major head trauma, including concussion with extended loss of consciousness, or of psychosurgery * Current or suspected pregnancy * Endorsing possible contraindications for tDCS

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in subjective urge

Individuals will rate their urge to pick using a scale (1-10) with a higher score meaning greater urge. They will rate their urge three times in a row, at two different time-points.

Time frame: baseline and post intervention, approximately 90 minutes

Change in subjective distress

Individuals will rate their distress using a scale (1-10) with a higher score meaning greater distress. They will rate their distress three times in a row, at two different time-points.

Time frame: baseline and post intervention, approximately 90 minutes

Change in picking or biting behavioral frequency

Picking or biting behaviors will be assessed via two 6-minute blocks of visual observation, before and after tDCS. The frequency of the behaviors observed will be collected in each block. Change in total frequency between blocks will be calculated.

Time frame: baseline and post intervention (approximately 90 minutes)

Change in picking or biting behaviors duration

Picking or biting behaviors will be assessed via two 6-minute blocks of visual observation, before and after tDCS. Duration of the behaviors observed will be collected in each block. Change in total duration between blocks will be calculated.