Personalized EEG‑guided brain stimulation during hand‑eye coordination

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This is a within‑subject, crossover pilot using closed‑loop repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) timed to each participant's EEG rhythms during bimanual visuomotor force tracking. The protocol compares phase‑locked rTMS targeting two key nodes of the frontoparietal network while participants perform goal‑directed eye‑hand control tasks. Stimulation pulses are delivered in a personalized, state‑based manner so they align with intrinsic neural oscillation phase during behavior. The aim is to develop methods suitable for precision neural‑circuit based rehabilitation trials.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* adult volunteers (age ≥18 years)
* right-hand dominance (defined with the Edinburg Handedness Scale)
* voluntary whole-hand grip force (Medical Research Council scale for muscle force ≥2)
* capable of repeated grasp and release with 5% of maximum voluntary contraction (standardized with an in-house computer-based assessment involving whole-hand grip force tracking upon visual cues with a digital dynamometer).

Exclusion Criteria:

* presence of any MRI risk factors (such as an electrically, magnetically, mechanically activated metal or nonmetal implant including cardiac pacemaker, intracerebral vascular clips, any other electrically sensitive support system, or claustrophobia)
* presence of any contraindications to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, rTMS (e.g., history of seizures or epileptic activity, currently taking medications that lower seizure thresholds)
* any neurological or psychiatric disorders affecting cognitive function (e.g., established dementia) affecting the ability to understand the purpose of the study and give informed consent or ability to complete cognitive testing
* substance use disorder
* visual impairment that precludes completion of scanner tasks
* uncontrolled hypertension despite treatment
* intake of tricyclic anti-depressants
* musculoskeletal disorders affecting bimanual grasp- and release
* pregnancy (or suspected/possible pregnancy or plan to become pregnant in the short term). If the participant is a woman of childbearing potential, a urine pregnancy test will be performed on a standard basis.
* severe aphasia affecting particularly of receptive nature (NIH Stroke Scale, NIHSS Language subsection ≥2) affecting the ability to understand the purpose of the study and give informed consent
* pregnancy

Where it's running

• Medical University of South Carolina
  Charleston, South Carolina, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Kirstin-Friederike Heise, Ph.D. — Medical University of South Carolina
• Study coordinator: Kirstin-Friederike Heise, PhD
• Email: heisek@musc.edu
• Phone: 843-792-3435

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.