NCT05917002

MPFC Theta Burst Stimulation as a Tool to Affect Rational Decision Making

• Status: Withdrawn
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 0 (actual)
• Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This is a study to investigate if a device that temporarily changes brain activity (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, rTMS) might be used to change how healthy participants make decisions. This study involves 2 visits to MUSC that will each take between 2-3 hours. This study is not a treatment study, but it could help inform studies investigating treatment in the future. Participants in this study will be compensated for their time.

Detailed description

This study aims to investigate whether a single session of excitatory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) compared to electrical sham stimulation to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) facilitates rational decision making. Our prior data suggests that decisions are biased depending on if the available options are presented with a negative or positive connotation (even in the case of mathematical equivalence). Work by us and others has demonstrated that even if both options are equal, the negatively framed choice is most often avoided.

Conditions

• Healthy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Real TBS to mPFC	This will be delivered with the Magventure MagPro System; (double blinded using the integrated active sham system).
DEVICE	Sham TBS to mPFC	This will be delivered with the Magventure MagPro System; (double blinded using the integrated active sham system). The Magventure MagPro system has an integrated active sham that passes current through two surface electrodes placed on the scalp. The electrodes are placed on the left frontalis muscle under the coil for both the real and sham stimulation sessions.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-08-01
• Primary completion: 2025-08-01
• Completion: 2025-08-01
• First posted: 2023-06-23
• Last updated: 2025-09-08