Transcranial magnetic stimulation to alter perception of emotional images
The Effect of TMS on Emotional Valence Evaluation of Aversive Pictures
This trial tests whether TMS applied to specific brain areas can change how adults perceive emotional images and affect their memory for those images.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 33 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 30 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Basel Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Basel, Canton of Basel-City) |
| Trial ID | NCT07191275 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Generally healthy adult participants will receive continuous 30 Hz thetaburst transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over targeted brain regions while viewing emotional images. The protocol includes experimental and control TMS conditions to compare immediate effects on perception and later effects on memory. Participants will provide ratings of emotional valence and arousal and complete memory tests before and after stimulation. The results are intended to clarify whether non-invasive superficial brain stimulation can modulate emotional processing.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults who are generally healthy, fluent in German, normotensive, have a BMI between 18 and 30 kg/m2, and have no metal implants or neurological contraindications are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with metal in the head, implanted neurostimulators or pacemakers, a history of seizures or epilepsy, recent neurosurgery or head trauma, pregnancy, or significant hearing problems would be excluded and are unlikely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer a non-invasive method to modify emotional perception or memory and help guide development of treatments for mood or trauma-related conditions.
How similar studies have performed: Previous TMS research has produced mixed but promising results for changing emotional processing and memory in small studies, so this work builds on modest prior evidence.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Generally healthy * Normotensive (BP 90/60mmHg - 140/90mmHg) * BMI: 18 - 30 kg/m2 * Fluent in speaking German Exclusion Criteria: * Metal in the head area (e.g., splinters, fragments, clips, etc.) * Implanted neurostimulator (e.g., DBS, epidural/subdural, VNS) * Cardiac pacemaker or intracardiac lines * Medication infusion device * Non removable metal piercings in the head area, pivot teeth (retainers are no exclusion criterion) * Tattoos (head area) less than 3 months old or older than 20 years * Condition after neurosurgery * Hearing problems or tinnitus * Not able to sit still due to tremor, tics, itching * History of repeated syncope * Head trauma diagnosed as concussion or associated with loss of consciousness * diagnosis of epilepsy, or a convulsion or a seizure in the past of the participant or his/her close family (parents and siblings) * TMS in the past showing problems * Spinal or ventricular derivations * Positive pregnancy test * Alcohol intake 12 hours before TMS visits * Regular intake of any medication (excluding oral contraceptives) * CNS-active medication or illegal drugs 48h before TMS visits * Individual's rMT above the limits of rTMS device * Suicidal tendency as measured by Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), item 10 \> 0
Where this trial is running
Basel, Canton of Basel-City
- University of Basel, Division of Cognitive Neuroscience — Basel, Canton of Basel-City, Switzerland (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Dominique de Quervain, MD — University of Basel, Division of Cognitive Neuroscience
- Study coordinator: Ehssan Amini, MD
- Email: ehssan.amini@unibas.ch
- Phone: +41 61 207 02 26
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.