An interventional study of tDCS in Motor Activity, sponsored by Indiana University. Terminated at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 45 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-01.
Sponsored by Indiana University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
The purpose of this study is to determine whether "transcranial direct current stimulation" (tDCS) is effective in enhancing learning of complex motor tasks of precision and accuracy that require the simultaneous coordination of both hands. The study will utilize a between-subjects, SHAM controlled design. Subjects will be randomly selected to receive either SHAM (n=26) or a-tDCS (n=26) stimulation and will be blinded to their condition throughout testing. Subjects will complete a total of two testing sessions, separated by \~24 hours. Both sessions will have the subject play the videogame "Guitar Hero", with a single song done for several trials as pre- and post-assessments. The first session will contain a 20-minute practice/stimulation block where subjects practice the guitar task while receiving either "active" or "inactive" stimulation of the motor cortex. The first session will last approximately 75 to 90 minutes whereas the second session will last approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
2,426 studies on the registry are indexed under Motor Activity; 1,161 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 40 is below the median of 60 across 2,118 interventional studies indexed under Motor Activity.
Browse Motor Activity studies →Indiana University is the lead sponsor of 958 studies on the registry; 200 are open to participants now.
Of its 142 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 112 (79%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
Currently prescribed and taking stimulant medication (Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, etc.)
This group will receive 20 minutes of 1 mA tDCS stimulation to the motor cortex while playing the videogame.
Device: tDCS
This group will receive 30 seconds of 1 mA tDCS stimulation to the motor cortex and then it will shut off, effectively serving as a control, while subjects play the videogame for 20 minutes
Device: tDCS
Applying tDCS to determine if it facilitates learning of a video game task
Improvement in a video game
To determine whether a-tDCS influences motor skill acquisition of a dexterous video game task by measuring the outcome of videogame performance (number of notes played) with and without a-tDCS
Time frame: 1 year
Retention and Learning
Learning will be measured within-groups by examining retention, or the outcome of video game performance (number of notes played) between the first and second sessions
Time frame: 1 Year
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is terminated, as verified in May 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Indiana University