Effects of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation on Task Performance in Healthy Adults

The objective of this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover study is to evaluate the effects of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) on complex cognitive task performance in healthy adult volunteers. The primary questions this study aims to answer are: 1. Does tES improve task performance, including speed, accuracy, and overall success, during a computerized track-and-capture task? 2. Do different stimulation targets produce differential effects on performance? 3. Are there short-term post-stimulation effects on task performance (up to 48 hours)? Participants will: 1. Complete two testing sessions under either active or sham stimulation conditions. 2. Perform a complex operational task involving dual-hand controllers while undergoing tES or sham stimulation, and immediately after. 3. Return for follow-up task performance assessments at 24 and 48 hours post-stimulation to evaluate after-effects.

NCT Number	NCT06995560
Lead Sponsor	Massachusetts General Hospital
Conditions	Healthy, Brain Stimulation, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), Cognition, Psychomotor Performance, Neurophysiology
Enrollment	44 participants
Start Date	2022-12-01
Primary Completion	2024-10-31 (estimated)
Study Completion	2024-10-31 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-05-15