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Recruiting NCT06246942

NCT06246942 Physiology of Human Brain Connectivity

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Clinical Trial Summary
NCT ID NCT06246942
Status Recruiting
Phase
Sponsor Massachusetts General Hospital
Condition Healthy
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment 80 participants
Start Date 2024-12-13
Primary Completion 2027-04-15

Eligibility & Interventions

Sex All sexes
Min Age 18 Years
Max Age 64 Years
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Interventions
Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (spTMS)Paired associative stimulation (PAS)Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Eligibility Fast-Check

Enter your details for a quick preliminary check. This does not replace medical advice.

What to Expect as a Participant

You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.

This trial targets 80 participants in total. It began in 2024-12-13 with a primary completion date of 2027-04-15.

⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effective connectivity between different regions of the human brain in healthy participants, and the mechanisms which influence and modulate its development. Specifically, the investigators will examine the effects of cortico-cortical paired associative stimulation (ccPAS) which is induced by the application of brief (\< 1 ms) transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) pulses separated by a short millisecond-level time intervals ("asynchrony") to two different areas of the brain. All techniques are non-invasive and considered safe in humans: TMS, electroencephalography (EEG), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Based on previous animal and human studies, it is hypothesized that ccPAS will increase or decrease effective connectivity between the stimulated areas depending on the asynchrony value. The main outcome measure is source-resolved EEG cortico-cortical evoked potentials (ccEPs) elicited by single-pulse TMS.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Age from 18 to 64 years * Right-handed * Normal hearing and (corrected) vision * Able to understand and give informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Cardiac pacemaker or pacemaker wires; neurostimulators; implanted pumps * Metal in the body (e.g., rods, plates, screws, shrapnel, dentures that cannot be removed during the recordings, IUD) * Suspected metallic particles in the eye * Surgical clips in the head or previous neurosurgery * Any magnetic particles in the body * Cochlear implants * Prosthetic heart valves * Epilepsy or any other type of seizure history * Any neurological diagnoses or medications influencing brain function * History of significant head trauma (i.e., extended loss of consciousness, neurological sequelae) * Known structural brain lesion * Significant other disease (heart disease, malignant tumors, mental disorders) * Significant claustrophobia; Ménière's disease * Pregnancy (ruled out by urine ß-HCG if answers to screening questions suggest that pregnancy is possible), breast feeding * Non prescribed drug use * Failure to perform the behavioral tasks or neuropsychological evaluation tests * Prisoners

Contact & Investigator

Central Contact

Netri Pajankar, MS

✉ npajankar@mgh.harvard.edu

📞 617-726-2000

Principal Investigator

Tommi Raij, MD, PhD

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Massachusetts General Hospital

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can join the NCT06246942 clinical trial?

This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, up to 64 Years, studying Healthy. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.

Is NCT06246942 currently recruiting?

Yes, NCT06246942 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at npajankar@mgh.harvard.edu for enrollment information.

Where is the NCT06246942 trial being conducted?

This trial is being conducted at Boston, United States.

Who is sponsoring the NCT06246942 clinical trial?

NCT06246942 is sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital. The principal investigator is Tommi Raij, MD, PhD at Massachusetts General Hospital. The trial plans to enroll 80 participants.

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ClinicalMetric — Independent clinical trial intelligence platform. Not affiliated with NIH, ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. FDA, or any pharmaceutical company, hospital, or clinical research organization. Trial data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not make any treatment, enrollment, or health decisions based solely on information found here — always consult a qualified healthcare professional. Full Disclaimer  ·  Last Reviewed: April 2026  ·  Data Methodology