Brain Stimulation for Meditation

Overseen By Melanie Boly, MD, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison

Must not be taking: ADHD stimulants, Antidepressants, Antipsychotics, others

Disqualifiers: Neurological disorders, Bipolar, Psychosis, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

Duration: up to 2 weeks

12 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether brain stimulation technology can help people reach a meditative state quickly and easily without years of meditation training. The researchers want to see if this will help people distance themselves from their thoughts and feeling, and if this will lead to improvements in openness and wellbeing the same way meditation can. Participants will: * Complete questionnaires * Perform a guided meditation task (The Bell Task) * Wear a high density electrocochleography (hdEEG) cap * Undergo brain stimulation * Perform cognitive tasks

Research Team

Melanie Boly, MD, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for healthy individuals interested in exploring brain stimulation as a means to achieve a meditative state. Participants should be willing to complete questionnaires, perform guided meditation tasks, wear an hdEEG cap, and undergo brain stimulation.

Inclusion Criteria

English-speaking (able to provide consent and complete questionnaires)

Healthy adults with a consistent meditation practice

Medically healthy

Exclusion Criteria

Any current or past history of psychosis

I have had fainting spells that might be seizures.

I do not have any serious illnesses that could lead to a medical emergency if I had a seizure.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants undergo sham, TES, or TES-TI stimulation while completing cognitive assessments

up to 2 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in anxiety, well-being, and other psychological measures

up to 6 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Sham stimulation
• Transcranial electrical stimulation (TES)
• Transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference (TES-TI)

Trial Overview The NEURO-EGO study is testing the effects of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (TES), TES with Temporal Interference (TES-TI), and Sham stimulation on achieving meditative states and improving wellbeing without extensive meditation training.

Participant Groups

Group I: Stimulation Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Participants will undergo sham, TES or TES-TI stimulation while completing cognitive assessments.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,249

Recruited

3,255,000+

Tiny Blue Dot Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

9

Recruited

640+

Tiny Blue Dot Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

10

Recruited

660+