NCT Number: NCT02790619
The purpose of this study is to determine if a new technology applied while listening to a mindfulness meditation tape can affect one's ability to achieve a state of "mindfulness." The new technology is called transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS.
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Notify Me18 year–45 year
All sexes
Interventional
Not applicable
Many people initially attempt meditation but cannot get their mind to be still. Or they do not get quick results and find it frustrating. Thus, the number of people benefiting from meditation would increase if there were a method of making it easier to perform. Moreover, establishing the actual brain mechanisms involved in the benefits of meditation would potentially open up synergistic treatments and approaches.
The investigators will investigate the use of a new, non-invasive brain stimulation method called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to augment a state of mindfulness. tDCS is a safe, inexpensive, non-invasive brain stimulation modality that has the capability of focally increasing or decreasing cortical activity. Anodal stimulation produces positive DC stimulation and is associated with increased cortical activity, whereas Cathodal stimulation produces a negative DC stimulation and is associated with decreased cortical activity. Cortical activity changes occur both during and after stimulation in a dose response fashion (higher current density and longer duration of stimulation produces larger and longer lasting effects).
The investigators will be investigating the use of tDCS to augment mindfulness meditation in a double-blind, crossover, randomized, sham-controlled trial.
Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes
Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.
Inclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria
Small electrical current delivered non-invasively to the scalp. 1mA electrical current to Meditation and Active Stimulation 1 condition. 2mA to Meditation and Active 2 Stimulation condition.
Blinds participants to meditation condition by applying 30 seconds of real stimulation and then turning the device off.
Time frame: Baseline (Visit 1/Week 1) Post Stimulation (Visit 1/Week 1). Through Visit 1 completion, an average of 25 minutes
During Experimental Visit 1 the participant will complete the Mood Visual Analog Scale before listening to a meditative tape recording and receiving either active tDCS or sham tDCS for 20 minutes. The participant will then fill out the Mood Visual Analog Scale post stimulation.
Time frame: Baseline (Visit 2/Week 2) Post Stimulation (Visit 2/Week 2). Through Visit 2 completion, an average of 25 minutes
During Experimental Visit 2 the participant will complete the Mood Visual Analog Scale before listening to a meditative tape recording and receiving either active tDCS or sham tDCS for 20 minutes. The participant will then fill out the Mood Visual Analog Scale post stimulation.
Time frame: Baseline (Visit 3/Week 3) Post Stimulation (Visit 3/Week 3). Through Visit 3 completion, an average of 25 minutes
During Experimental Visit 3 the participant will complete the Mood Visual Analog Scale before listening to a meditative tape recording and receiving either active tDCS or sham tDCS for 20 minutes. The participant will then fill out the Mood Visual Analog Scale post stimulation.
Medical University of South Carolina
Other
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