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Purpose

This research study examines the contribution of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) networks to decision-making.

Condition

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 18 Years and 40 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • Age between 18 and 40 years old - Right-handed - Fluent English speakers

Exclusion Criteria

  • History of significant neurological conditions (e.g., epilepsy, dementia, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, etc.) - History of major psychiatric conditions (e.g., general anxiety disorder, depression, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, substance use disorder, etc.) - Significant medical illnesses (e.g., cancer, meningitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, etc.) - Significant cerebrovascular risk factors (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, etc.) - Current use of psychoactive medications (e.g., barbiturates, benzodiazepines, chloral hydrate, haloperidol, lithium, carbamazepine, phenytoin, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, diazepam, etc.) - Smell or taste dysfunction - History of significant allergies requiring hospitalization for treatment - History of severe asthma requiring hospitalization for treatment - Habitual smoking - History of eating disorders (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, etc.) - Dieting or fasting - Magnetic implants (e.g., shunts or stents, aneurysm clips, surgical clips, cochlear implants, metal bone/joint pins, plates and screws, eyelid spring or wires, etc.) - Electronic devices (e.g., implanted cardiac defibrillator, cardiac pacemaker, deep brain/spinal cord or nerve stimulator, internal electrodes/wires, medication infusion devices, etc.) - History of metal working without proper eye protection, or injury with metal shrapnel or metal slivers - Claustrophobia - Pregnancy - Predisposition to seizures (e.g., personal history of seizures, family history of seizures epilepsy, pregnancy, alcoholism, etc.) - Use of medications that increase the likelihood of seizures (e.g., bupropion SR, citalopram, duloxetine, ketamine, gamma-hydroxybutyrate, etc.) - History of surgical procedures performed on the brain or spinal cord - History of severe head trauma followed by loss of consciousness - History of fainting spells or syncope - Hearing problems or tinnitus

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Basic Science
Masking
Single (Participant)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
TMS targeting OFC anterior networks 		Participants will receive TMS and sham targeting the OFC network.
  • Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before conditioning
    Real TMS will be applied using the MagVenture MagPro X100 stimulator with the active side of the Cool-B65 A/P coil before the conditioning phase of the task.
  • Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before devaluation test
    Real TMS will be applied using the MagVenture MagPro X100 stimulator with the active side of the Cool-B65 A/P coil before the devaluation test phase of the task.
  • Device: Sham transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
    Sham TMS will be applied using the MagVenture MagPro X100 stimulator with the placebo side of the Cool-B65 A/P coil.
Experimental
Experimental: TMS targeting posterior OFC networks 		Participants will receive TMS and sham targeting the posterior OFC network.
  • Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before conditioning
    Real TMS will be applied using the MagVenture MagPro X100 stimulator with the active side of the Cool-B65 A/P coil before the conditioning phase of the task.
  • Device: Real transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) before devaluation test
    Real TMS will be applied using the MagVenture MagPro X100 stimulator with the active side of the Cool-B65 A/P coil before the devaluation test phase of the task.
  • Device: Sham transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
    Sham TMS will be applied using the MagVenture MagPro X100 stimulator with the placebo side of the Cool-B65 A/P coil.

Recruiting Locations

Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois 60657
Contact:
Daria Porter, PhD
312-503-4223
daria.porter@northwestern.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
Northwestern University

Study Contact

Christina Zelano, PhD
312-503-4437
c-zelano@northwestern.edu

Detailed Description

This study will combine functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), non-invasive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), olfactory stimuli, and a devaluation task to define the specific contributions of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) networks in outcome-guided behavior. We will use network-targeted TMS to modulate activity within anterior OFC and posterior OFC networks, examining if they have different contributions to decision-making. This is a randomized, between-subjects design.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.