Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT07554105

Effect of Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation on the Performance in Language Tasks

Language is an essential part of daily life, enabling us to communicate, understand others, read, and learn. Certain brain injuries can disrupt these abilities, and current treatments do not always lead to a full recovery. To improve future therapeutic approaches, it is necessary to better understand how the brain processes language and how its activity can be modulated.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called transcranial random noise stimulation. This method involves applying a very weak electrical current to the scalp to modulate the activity of brain regions involved in language. It is commonly used in research and is considered safe when administered in accordance with current guidelines.

Healthy adult volunteers will participate in this study. Each participant will take part in two sessions spaced about a week apart. During one session, active stimulation will be used, and during the other, placebo stimulation will be used. Placebo stimulation resembles the actual stimulation but has no active effect. Neither the participants nor the researchers will know which type of stimulation is being used during each session.

During the sessions, participants will perform various language tasks, and their brain activity will be recorded using an electroencephalogram (EEG), a painless method.

This study does not provide any direct benefit to participants. The risks are low and limited to temporary sensations, such as a tingling sensation on the scalp. The results will provide a better understanding of how the brain processes language and could eventually contribute to the development of new rehabilitation approaches.

Recruiting

Interested in participating?

Request Info

Key information

Age range

18 year–90 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Division of Neurorehabilitation, University Hospital of Geneva

Geneva, Canton of Geneva, 1211, Switzerland

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Adrian G Guggisberg, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+41223723700

Adrian G Guggisberg, MD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age: 18-35 years or 60-90 years
  • Native French speakers
  • Right handed
  • Willing and able to provide informed consent
  • Normal or corrected-to-normal vision and hearing

Exclusion criteria

  • History of neurological or psychiatric disease
  • Regular consumption of benzodiazepines, neuroleptics, or psychoactive drugs
  • Major language deficit, developmental language disorder, arthropathies and other mechanical language impairments
  • Inability to understand or follow study procedures
  • Contraindications to brain stimulation, such as
  • History of epilepsy or severe migraine
  • Pacemaker or other active implants
  • Metallic objects in the head
  • Skull breach such as craniotomy
  • Pregnancy

Treatment and study plan

transcranial random noise stimulation

Device

active HD-tRNS

Sham stimulation

Device

current will be ramped up for 30 seconds and then switched of, to mimic the subjective sensation of tRNS.

Primary outcomes

  1. Composite score

    Time frame: Periprocedural

    composite behavioural score reflecting overall language performance across four language domains (phonological, semantic, morphosyntactic, and reading)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Phonological processing

    Time frame: Periprocedural

    pseudoword reading task: accuracy (% correct) and response latency (ms)

  2. Semantic processing

    Time frame: Periprocedural

    semantic fluency task: number of correct words produced within 1 min

  3. Morphosyntactic processing

    Time frame: Periprocedural

    grammaticality judgment task: accuracy (% correct) and response latency (ms)

  4. Reading speed

    Time frame: Periprocedural

    International reading speed test IReST: Reading time (s), words per minute, and error count

  5. Sustained attention

    Time frame: Periprocedural

    d2-R: standard concentration performance score and error rate (control measure)

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Adrian Guggisberg, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+41223723700

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Adrian Guggisberg

Other

Registry information

Acronym: tRNSlang

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Apr 28, 2026
Registry last updated
Apr 28, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.