An interventional study of Wireless Multichannel Transcranial Current Stimulator (tDCS) and Cue exposure in Repetitive Compulsive Behavior, sponsored by Gopalkumar Rakesh. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-07-23.
Sponsored by Gopalkumar Rakesh · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
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:
Participants will:
112 studies on the registry are indexed under Bites and Stings; 45 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 55 is close to the median of 60 across 89 interventional studies indexed under Bites and Stings.
Browse Bites and Stings studies →Gopalkumar Rakesh is the lead sponsor of 7 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.
Of its 5 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 4 (80%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
participants receive 13-min of active multifocal tDCS targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. tDCS will be delivered offline for 13 minutes (1.5mA, 10 seconds ramp in/out).
Device: Wireless Multichannel Transcranial Current Stimulator (tDCS) · Behavioral: Cue exposure · Behavioral: Boredom induction
Sham stimulation will be identical to active but electrical current will only be ramped in/out at the beginning and end of the 13-min period.
Device: Wireless Multichannel Transcranial Current Stimulator (tDCS) · Behavioral: Cue exposure · Behavioral: Boredom induction
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.
Participants will undergo three, twenty-second trials of exposure to individualized cues at the top of the established urge hierarchy, previously determined to precede picking or biting behaviors before and after tDCS.
Participants will be left in the testing room without access to a cellphone or reading materials for 2 different 6 minute periods.
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.
Time frame: baseline and post intervention (approximately 90 minutes)
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Gopalkumar Rakesh