Protocol Number: 09-N-0124

Title:

Effects of Reward on Learning in the Motor Cortex

Number:

09-N-0124

Summary:

Background:

- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to take pictures of the brain. Some MRI studies suggest that this technique reveals brain differences in patients with a nervous system illness when compared to adults without a nervous system illness.

Objectives:

- To study functional changes in the brain that may be observed in people without any nervous system illness.

- To learn more about which areas of the brain are necessary to perform certain tasks, especially learning simple motor sequences and processing rewards.

Eligibility:

- Healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 50 who are right-handed and are native English speakers, and who have no medical conditions that would prevent them from undergoing magnetic imaging.

- Volunteers must not have a history of neurological or psychiatric illnesses.

- Female volunteers must not be pregnant.

Design:

- Volunteers will be asked to undergo different types of magnetic imaging, including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and/or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), while participating in either a slot machine simulation or a key sequence learning task.

- Volunteers will participate in one of four possible experiments:

-Experiment 1: MRS/TMS and slot machine (3 visits, 3.5 hours in total).

-Experiment 2: MRS/TMS and key sequence (3 visits, 3.5 hours in total).

-Experiment 3: fMRI and slot machine (2 visits, 3 hours in total).

-Experiment 4: fMRI and key sequence (1 visit, 2 hours in total).

- Experiment types:

-Slot machine: A computer game like a slot machine, where the user presses a button to start the game and watches as the three barrels of the machine spin into place.

-Key sequence: Pressing a series of buttons in response to visual cues.

- Volunteers will also be asked to give a small blood sample for genetic testing.

- Volunteers will be paid a small amount of money (approximately $50-$80) during the experiments in compensation for their participation in the study.

Sponsoring Institute:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Recruitment Detail

Type: Participants currently recruited/enrolled

Gender: Male & Female

Referral Letter Required: No

Population Exclusion(s): Children

Eligibility Criteria:

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

-Age 18-50.

-Right handed.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

-Older than 50 years of age

-Significant neurological or psychiatric history

-Habitual consumption of more than two alcoholic drinks a day, marijuana more than once a week or any other illicit drug use within the last three months

-Use of medication affecting the DA system, such as phenothiazine antihistamines (promethazine), antiemetics or decongestants within the last month

-Significant abnormality on neurological examination

-Metal in the cranial cavity or eye, pacemaker, implanted pumps or stimulators

-Subjects who participate in any one experiment in this protocol may not participate in another experiment in this protocol.

Special Instructions:

Currently Not Provided

Keywords:

Reward Processing

Motor Cortex

Recruitment Keyword(s):

HV

Healthy Volunteer

Condition(s):

Healthy

Investigational Drug(s):

None

Investigational Device(s):

None

Intervention(s):

None

Supporting Site:

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Contact(s):

Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office
Building 61
10 Cloister Court
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4754
Toll Free: 1-800-411-1222
TTY: 301-594-9774 (local),1-866-411-1010 (toll free)
Fax: 301-480-9793

Electronic Mail:prpl@mail.cc.nih.gov

Citation(s):

Arancio O, Chao MV. Neurotrophins, synaptic plasticity and dementia. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2007 Jun;17(3):325-30. Epub 2007 Apr 6.

Ashe J, Lungu OV, Basford AT, Lu X. Cortical control of motor sequences. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2006 Apr;16(2):213-21. Epub 2006 Mar 24.

Avanzi M, Uber E, Bonfˆ F. Pathological gambling in two patients on dopamine replacement therapy for Parkinson's disease. Neurol Sci. 2004 Jun;25(2):98-101.

• Questions about participating in a study, please contact the Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office, CC.
• Technical questions regarding the Clinical Center web site, please contact the Department of Clinical Research Informatics, CC.

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