Participants attend two sessions, one week apart, as part of a randomized crossover study involving either an active or sham intervention. Both sessions follow identical procedures, except for the TMS intervention. Each session includes: three pain pressure threshold measurements, two TMS-EEG recordings, 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on a stationary bike, and two resting-state EEG recordings. Repetitive TMS is administered as an active intervention in one session and as a sham in the other, and more.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is administered using a figure-of-eight coil from MagVenture positioned over the left primary motor cortex (M1) in an anteroposterior direction. High-frequency rTMS is delivered at 10 Hz, consisting of 100 trains of 10-second duration (3000 pulses), with 20-second inter-train intervals, at \~90% of resting motor threshold (RMT) depending on participant tolerance and TMS-EEG brain response.
This intervention involves high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied over the primary motor cortex (M1), using a figure-of-eight coil. In the sham condition, the same coil is used, but it is oriented away from the scalp at an angle that prevents effective magnetic stimulation of the brain, while still producing similar auditory and tactile sensations. This allows participants to remain blinded to the intervention type, maintaining the single-blind nature of the study. The active stimulation is delivered at 10 Hz, comprising 30 trains of 10 seconds (9900 milliseconds)(3000 pulses in total), with 20-second inter-train intervals, at \~110% of the individual's resting motor threshold (rMT). Stimulation is delivered while the participant is seated at rest, and the full rTMS protocol takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
Aalborg University
Gistrup, Denmark
Cortical connectivity
Global and local mean field amplitude
Time frame: Day 1
Cortical connectivity
Global and local mean field amplitude
Time frame: Day 2
Pain Pressure Threshold
Pain Pressure Threshold in kPa will be measured 3 times per session using handheld algometer.
Time frame: Day 1
Pain Pressure Threshold
Pain Pressure Threshold in kPa will be measured 3 times per session using handheld algometer.
Time frame: Day 2
Cortical excitability
TMS-evoked potentials from the TMS-EEG.
Time frame: Day 1
Cortical excitability
TMS-evoked potentials from the TMS-EEG.
Time frame: Day 2
Borg-20
Questionnaire for subjective fatique level on a scale from 6 to 20, where 6 is rest and 20 is maximal exertion. We will ask the rating at different timepoints during the 30 minutes exercise.
Time frame: Day 1
Borg-20
Questionnaire for subjective fatique level on a scale from 6 to 20, where 6 is rest and 20 is maximal exertion. We will ask the rating at different timepoints during the 30 minutes exercise.
Time frame: Day 2
Pain Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)
The subject will be asked to rate their pain during exercise on an NRS ranging from 0 to 10 with 0 corresponding to no pain and 10 corresponding to worst imaginable pain. We will ask the rating at different timepoints during the 30 minutes exercise.
Time frame: Day 1
Pain Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)
The subject will be asked to rate their pain during exercise on an NRS ranging from 0 to 10 with 0 corresponding to no pain and 10 corresponding to worst imaginable pain. We will ask the rating at different timepoints during the 30 minutes exercise.
Time frame: Day 2
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