AphasiaOLIPHANTNCT06140940
Motor Imagery in Aphantasia
A study testing High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), active condition in people with Aphasia, run by Hôpital le Vinatier at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
The present study aims to characterize and modulate motor imagery abilities in individuals with aphantasia. The investigators will characterize the neurophysiological and physiological underpinnings of mental imagery abilities in participants with aphantasia by investigating several indices of motor imagery abilities… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Aphasia
- What is being tested?
- High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), active condition
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- 28 Mar 2024to 1 Jan 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- For the aphantasia group only: congenital aphantasia defined as a life-long inability to generate mental imagery (confirmed by a total score of 32 or less on the VVIQ, which is the gold standard questionnaire for aphantasia)
- For the no-aphantasia group only: typical mental imagery capacities (confirmed by a total score of more than 32 on the VVIQ)
- Covered by public health insurance
- Understanding the French language
- Signed written informed consent after being informed about the study
Who cannot join
- Presence or history of a somatic, neurologic, or mental illness
- Actual pain or musculoskeletal disorders at the upper limb
- Having a regular musical activity (more than once a week) because of high manual dexterity
- Contraindication for noninvasive brain stimulation including the presence of ferromagnetic or magnetic sensitive metal objects implanted in the head or in close proximity (e.g., brain stent, clip, cochlear implants, or stimulator)
- Pregnancy (controlled by urine pregnancy test in females without reported contraception)
- Active seizure disorder or history of seizures
- Participants under curatorship/guardianship
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
France1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Centre Hospitalier le Vinatier
Bron, 69678
Marine Mondino, 0437915565 ext. +33, marine.mondino@ch-le-vinatier.fr
Jérôme Brunelin, 0437915297 ext. +33, jerome.brunelin@ch-le-vinatier.fr
About this study
Official title: Probing and Modulating Motor Imagery Capacities in Aphantasia
The present study aims to characterize and modulate motor imagery abilities in individuals with aphantasia. The investigators will characterize the neurophysiological and physiological underpinnings of mental imagery abilities in participants with aphantasia by investigating several indices of motor imagery abilities and comparing them to participants with typical mental imagery abilities. The investigators will investigate whether non-invasive brain stimulation applied to the primary motor cortex improves mental imagery abilities in participants with aphantasia.
Read the detailed description
The investigators will recruit 20 participants with aphantasia and 20 participants with typical mental imagery capacities (no-aphantasia groups). Participants in both groups will complete a 3-hour visit for inclusion and baseline measurements (Visit 1) which will include neurophysiological, autonomic nervous system, cognitive and behavioral measures.
Participants in the aphantasia group will complete 2 additional visits to receive active and sham tDCS sessions (Visit 2 and 3), according to a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover design. Mental training will be done concurrently with tDCS using a sequential finger tapping-task (Truong et al., 2022). Participants will receive the instructions of trying to imagine themselves performing the motor task, by feeling their fingers moving as if they were actually moving it (kinesthetic modality of motor imagery).
Visits will be separated by at least 7 days.
- Conditions
- Aphasia
- Being tested
- High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), active condition, High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), sham condition
- Medical subject headings
- Aphasia
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), active conditionProcedure or surgery
Participants will receive a session of active HD-tDCS at a current intensity of 4 mA for a duration of 15min. The placement of electrodes will be determined to specifically target the primary motor cortex (4 x 1 montage with the anode over C4). During the stimulation, participants will be engaged in a mental training task (sequential finger tapping-task).
High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), sham conditionProcedure or surgery
Participants will receive a session of sham HD-tDCS, which will be delivered following the same procedures as active HD-tDCS but the intensity of the current will be set at 4mA during the 30 first seconds at the beginning of the 15-min period of the stimulation, and equal to 0 mA for the reminding period of stimulation to simulate the tingling sensation often experienced by individuals during active stimulation.
The placement of electrodes will be determined to specifically target the primary motor cortex (4 x 1 montage with the anode over C4). During the stimulation, participants will be engaged in a mental training task (sequential finger tapping-task).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| active stimulation group: 20 participants with aphantasia will receive a session of active HD-tDCS | Experimental | Participants will receive a session of active HD-tDCS at a current intensity of 4 mA for a duration of 15min. The placement of electrodes will be determined to specifically target the primary motor cortex (4 x 1 montage with the anode over C4). During the stimulation, participants will be engaged in a mental training task (sequential finger tapping-task). Receives: Procedure: High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), active condition |
| placebo stimulation group: 20 participants with aphantasia will receive a session of sham HD-tDCS | Placebo comparator | High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), sham condition. Participants will receive a session of sham HD-tDCS, which will be delivered following the same procedures as active HD-tDCS but the intensity of the current will be set at 4mA during the 30 first seconds at the beginning of the 15-min period of the stimulation, and equal to 0 mA for the reminding period of stimulation to simulate the tingling sensation often experienced by individuals during active stimulation.
The placement of electrodes will be determined to specifically target the primary motor cortex (4 x 1 montage with the anode over C4). During the stimulation, participants will be engaged in a mental training task (sequential finger tapping-task). Receives: Procedure: High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), sham condition |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Gains in motor performance following mental training
Gains in motor performance following mental training combined with tDCS will be measured using a sequential finger tapping-task. Gains following training will be expressed as a percentage of the baseline performance.
Measured: 2 times: immediately before tDCS (baseline) and immediately after tDCS
Secondary outcomes (11)
Motor corticospinal excitability at rest and during kinesthetic motor imagery
Motor corticospinal excitability will be assessed with single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) applied over the primary motor cortex representation of the non-dominant hand. Using electromyography, we will measure the peak-to-peak mean amplitude of motor evoked potentials (MEPs, measured in mV) in the contralateral first dorsal interosseous muscle both at rest and during kinesthetic motor imagery.
Measured: 1 time at baseline (Visit 1), in both groups
Heart rate variability
Heart rate variability, including respiratory sinus arrhythmia measures, expressed in milliseconds (ms), will be assessed at rest and during kinesthetic motor imagery by recording the heart rate using three electrodes placed in the left chest area. These electrodes will be connected to the Biopac MP150 system and monitored with the Acqknowledge software
Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 month
Skin conductance
Amplitude of electrodermal response will be measured at rest, during actual movements and during kinesthetic motor imagery using the Biopac MP150 system with the Acqknowledge software. The ratio between amplitudes during imagined/actual movements will be computed (expressed in percent).
Measured: through study completion, an average of 1 month
Mental imagery abilities
Mental imagery abilities in different sensory modalities will be measured as scores at the following questionnaires: Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ; range 16-80)
Measured: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Mental imagery abilities
Mental imagery abilities in different sensory modalities will be measured as scores at the following questionnaires: the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire (KVIQ; range 20-100).
Measured: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Mental imagery abilities
Mental imagery abilities in different sensory modalities will be measured as scores at the following questionnaires: the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-Revised (MIQ-R; range 14-98)
Measured: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Mental imagery abilities
Mental imagery abilities in different sensory modalities will be measured as scores at the following questionnaires: the Test of Ability in Movement Imagery (TAMI; range 0-24)
Measured: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Mental imagery abilities
Mental imagery abilities in different sensory modalities will be measured as scores at the following questionnaires: Plymouth Sensory Imagery Questionnaire (Psi-Q; range 0-70)
Measured: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Source monitoring performance
Source monitoring performance will be evaluated using a specific source monitoring task . Source-monitoring accuracy scores (range 0-100) will be calculated as proportions of accurate source attributions for each source
Measured: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Implicit motor imagery capacities
Implicit motor imagery capacities will be measured using a hand laterality judgment task . The percentage of correct response at the task will be calculated (range 0-100%).
Measured: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Performance of time-to-contact estimation
Performance will be measured using a specific time-to-contact (TTC) task. A TTC task involves temporal prediction in that the task requires a participant to predict the moment at which an event will occur given past sensory information (e.g., an auditory stimuli). The estimation of TTC requires determining the moment of contact (TTCa). The analysis of performance is based on BIAS quantification, which measures the average difference between individual estimation and TTCa
Measured: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Nov 2023
- Study start28 Mar 2024
- Primary completion1 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Jan 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for AphasiaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Hôpital le VinatierThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Model description
- Single-center prospective randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover study with two conditions: active tDCS + mental training and sham tDCS + mental training. A control group (participants with typical mental imagery abilities) will also be included for comparison at baseline.
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hôpital le Vinatier
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Marine MONDINO, PhD, Principal investigator, CH le Vinatier
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06140940
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2023-A00887-38
- Acronym
- OLIPHANT
- Status last verified
- Jul 2025
- First submitted
- 13 Nov 2023
- Last updated
- 24 Jul 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Jul 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Probing and Modulating Motor Imagery Capacities in Aphantasia
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06140940
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- OLIPHANT / 2023-A00887-38
- Conditions
- Aphasia
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Hôpital le VinatierUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 28 Mar 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Jan 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 21 Nov 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The present study aims to characterize and modulate motor imagery abilities in individuals with aphantasia. The investigators will characterize the neurophysiological and physiological underpinnings of mental imagery abilities in participants with aphantasia by investigating several indices of motor imagery abilities and comparing them to participants with typical mental imagery abilities. The investigators will investigate whether non-invasive brain stimulation applied to the primary motor cortex improves mental imagery abilities in participants with aphantasia.
Detailed description
The investigators will recruit 20 participants with aphantasia and 20 participants with typical mental imagery capacities (no-aphantasia groups). Participants in both groups will complete a 3-hour visit for inclusion and baseline measurements (Visit 1) which will include neurophysiological, autonomic nervous system, cognitive and behavioral measures.
Participants in the aphantasia group will complete 2 additional visits to receive active and sham tDCS sessions (Visit 2 and 3), according to a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover design. Mental training will be done concurrently with tDCS using a sequential finger tapping-task (Truong et al., 2022). Participants will receive the instructions of trying to imagine themselves performing the motor task, by feeling their fingers moving as if they were actually moving it (kinesthetic modality of motor imagery).
Visits will be separated by at least 7 days.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Single-center prospective randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover study with two conditions: active tDCS + mental training and sham tDCS + mental training. A control group (participants with typical mental imagery abilities) will also be included for comparison at baseline.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| active stimulation group: 20 participants with aphantasia will receive a session of active HD-tDCS | Experimental | Procedure: High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), active conditionParticipants will receive a session of active HD-tDCS at a current intensity of 4 mA for a duration of 15min. The placement of electrodes will be determined to specifically target the primary motor cortex (4 x 1 montage with the anode over C4). During the stimulation, participants will be engaged in a mental training task (sequential finger tapping-task). |
| placebo stimulation group: 20 participants with aphantasia will receive a session of sham HD-tDCS | Placebo comparator | Procedure: High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), sham conditionHigh-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), sham condition. Participants will receive a session of sham HD-tDCS, which will be delivered following the same procedures as active HD-tDCS but the intensity of the current will be set at 4mA during the 30 first seconds at the beginning of the 15-min period of the stimulation, and equal to 0 mA for the reminding period of stimulation to simulate the tingling sensation often experienced by individuals during active stimulation. The placement of electrodes will be determined to specifically target the primary motor cortex (4 x 1 montage with the anode over C4). During the stimulation, participants will be engaged in a mental training task (sequential finger tapping-task). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- For the aphantasia group only: congenital aphantasia defined as a life-long inability to generate mental imagery (confirmed by a total score of 32 or less on the VVIQ, which is the gold standard questionnaire for aphantasia)
- For the no-aphantasia group only: typical mental imagery capacities (confirmed by a total score of more than 32 on the VVIQ)
- Covered by public health insurance
- Understanding the French language
- Signed written informed consent after being informed about the study
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Presence or history of a somatic, neurologic, or mental illness
- Actual pain or musculoskeletal disorders at the upper limb
- Having a regular musical activity (more than once a week) because of high manual dexterity
- Contraindication for noninvasive brain stimulation including the presence of ferromagnetic or magnetic sensitive metal objects implanted in the head or in close proximity (e.g., brain stent, clip, cochlear implants, or stimulator)
- Pregnancy (controlled by urine pregnancy test in females without reported contraception)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), active conditionParticipants will receive a session of active HD-tDCS at a current intensity of 4 mA for a duration of 15min. The placement of electrodes will be determined to specifically target the primary motor cortex (4 x 1 montage with the anode over C4). During the stimulation, participants will be engaged in a mental training task (sequential finger tapping-task). | Procedure or surgery | active stimulation group: 20 participants with aphantasia will receive a session of active HD-tDCS |
| High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), sham conditionParticipants will receive a session of sham HD-tDCS, which will be delivered following the same procedures as active HD-tDCS but the intensity of the current will be set at 4mA during the 30 first seconds at the beginning of the 15-min period of the stimulation, and equal to 0 mA for the reminding period of stimulation to simulate the tingling sensation often experienced by individuals during active stimulation. The placement of electrodes will be determined to specifically target the primary motor cortex (4 x 1 montage with the anode over C4). During the stimulation, participants will be engaged in a mental training task (sequential finger tapping-task). | Procedure or surgery | placebo stimulation group: 20 participants with aphantasia will receive a session of sham HD-tDCS |
Primary outcome
Gains in motor performance following mental training
Time frame: 2 times: immediately before tDCS (baseline) and immediately after tDCS
Gains in motor performance following mental training combined with tDCS will be measured using a sequential finger tapping-task. Gains following training will be expressed as a percentage of the baseline performance.
11 secondary outcomes
Motor corticospinal excitability at rest and during kinesthetic motor imagery
Time frame: 1 time at baseline (Visit 1), in both groups
Heart rate variability
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 month
Skin conductance
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 1 month
Mental imagery abilities
Time frame: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Mental imagery abilities
Time frame: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Mental imagery abilities
Time frame: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Mental imagery abilities
Time frame: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Mental imagery abilities
Time frame: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Source monitoring performance
Time frame: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Implicit motor imagery capacities
Time frame: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Performance of time-to-contact estimation
Time frame: 1 time at baseline, in both groups
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Jul 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Marine MONDINO, PhD principal investigator
CH le Vinatier
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing High-definition transcranial direct current (HD-tDCS), active condition in people with Aphasia, run by Hôpital le Vinatier at 1 site in France.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Jul 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in France. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Lydie SARTELET (0 437915531 ext. +33, lydie.sartelet@ch-le-vinatier.fr), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Gains in motor performance following mental training (time frame: 2 times: immediately before tDCS (baseline) and immediately after tDCS). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Jul 2025.