CyberaggressionNCT07908862
Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Cyberaggressive Behaviour in Adults
A study testing Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation and Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation in people with Cyberaggression, run by Nanyang Technological University at 1 site in Singapore.
Trial summary
This study examines whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive form of brain stimulation, influences cyberaggressive behaviour in adults. tDCS uses a weak electrical current applied through electrodes placed on the scalp. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Cyberaggression
- What is being tested?
- Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation and Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 159 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSingapore
- Study dates
- Oct 2026to Jul 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
- Are above the age of 18 (for RP pool participants) or 21 (for non-RP pool participants)
- Have no history of unstable medical conditions or significant neurological, cardiovascular, or psychiatric illness including anxiety disorders (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder) and mood disorders (e.g., depression)
- Are not consuming anti-depressants or anti-convulsant, anti-psychotic, or sedative/hypnotic medications
- Have no metallic implants on the scalp
- Have no history of seizures
Who cannot join
- Contraindications to non-invasive brain stimulation, including metal in the head, implanted devices, skin conditions on the scalp, neurological conditions, and adverse reactions to brain stimulation
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Singapore1 site
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore, 639818
Tsz Wing Kok, +6591886732, tszwing002@e.ntu.edu.sg
Tsz Wing Kok, Masters
About this study
Official title: Effects of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Cyberaggressive Behaviour in Adults: A Randomized, Sham-Controlled Trial
This study examines whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive form of brain stimulation, influences cyberaggressive behaviour in adults. tDCS uses a weak electrical current applied through electrodes placed on the scalp.
Participants will be randomly assigned to receive one of three types of stimulation: anodal, cathodal, or sham stimulation. They will attend three study sessions on three consecutive days and will receive the same assigned stimulation condition at each session. During the study, participants will complete computer-based tasks involving cognitive performance, social interaction, and responses to provocation.
The main purpose of the study is to determine whether cyberaggressive responding after the third stimulation session differs between the three stimulation conditions. Cyberaggressive behaviour will be assessed using a competitive online interaction task in which participants can respond to messages from another player. The study will also collect additional behavioural and physiological measures to better understand responses during the tasks.
- Conditions
- Cyberaggression
- Being tested
- Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation, Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation, Sham transcranial direct current stimulation
- Keywords
- Cyberaggression, Aggressive Behavior, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, tDCS, Provocation, prefrontal cortex
- Medical subject headings
- Aggression
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Anodal transcranial direct current stimulationDevice
Also called Anodal tDCS
Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will be administered using a prespecified bilateral stimulation montage targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Active stimulation will be delivered at a total current intensity of 2.0 mA for 20 minutes per session, with an 8-second ramp-in and 5-second ramp-out. Participants will receive stimulation during three sessions conducted on three consecutive days.
Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulationDevice
Also called Cathodal tDCS
Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will be administered using a prespecified bilateral stimulation montage targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Active stimulation will be delivered at a total current intensity of 2.0 mA for 20 minutes per session, with an 8-second ramp-in and 5-second ramp-out. Participants will receive stimulation during three sessions conducted on three consecutive days.
Sham transcranial direct current stimulationDevice
Also called Sham tDCS
Sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will use the prespecified study electrode montage. Current will be ramped up over 8 seconds, delivered for 30 seconds, and ramped down over 5 seconds. The electrodes will remain in place for the remainder of the 20-minute stimulation period to maintain participant masking. Participants will receive sham stimulation during three sessions conducted on three consecutive days.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Anodal tDCS | Experimental | Participants assigned to this arm will receive anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) during three study sessions conducted on three consecutive days. Receives: Device: Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation |
| Cathodal tDCS | Experimental | Participants assigned to this arm will receive cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) during three study sessions conducted on three consecutive days. Receives: Device: Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation |
| Sham tDCS | Sham comparator | Participants assigned to this arm will receive sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) during three study sessions conducted on three consecutive days. Receives: Device: Sham transcranial direct current stimulation |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Cyberaggressive responding on the TAP-Chat task
Cyberaggressive responding will be assessed from participant-generated messages during the Taylor Aggression Paradigm-Chat (TAP-Chat) task. Responses will be coded using a pre-specified coding scheme for cyberaggressive content. The primary analysis will compare coded cyberaggressive responding across the anodal, cathodal, and sham tDCS conditions and across the two levels of provocation.
Measured: Day 3 (during the TAP-Chat task following the third tDCS session)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Nov 2026
- Study startOct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionJul 2028 (estimated)
- Study completionJul 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for CyberaggressionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 159 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Nanyang Technological University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Kok Tsz Wing, Nanyang Technological University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07908862
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB-2025-1328
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 26 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 2 Nov 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data are not currently planned for sharing outside the research team. Any future sharing of de-identified data would be subject to applicable institutional, ethical, and data-protection requirements.
Publications
Denson TF, Choy O, Summerell E, Wong I. A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Anger and Aggression. Aggress Behav. 2025 Jul;51(4):e70036. doi: 10.1002/ab.70036.
PubMed 40474608Burt SA, Kim M, Alhabash S. A novel in vivo measure of cyberaggression. Aggress Behav. 2020 Sep;46(5):449-460. doi: 10.1002/ab.21911. Epub 2020 Jun 24.
PubMed 32583451
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Nov 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Cyberaggressive Behaviour in Adults: A Randomized, Sham-Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07908862
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB-2025-1328
- Conditions
- Cyberaggression
- Keywords
- Cyberaggression, Aggressive Behavior, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, tDCS, Provocation, prefrontal cortex
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 159 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Nanyang Technological UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Jul 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jul 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 2 Nov 2026 (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.
This study examines whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive form of brain stimulation, influences cyberaggressive behaviour in adults. tDCS uses a weak electrical current applied through electrodes placed on the scalp.
Participants will be randomly assigned to receive one of three types of stimulation: anodal, cathodal, or sham stimulation. They will attend three study sessions on three consecutive days and will receive the same assigned stimulation condition at each session. During the study, participants will complete computer-based tasks involving cognitive performance, social interaction, and responses to provocation.
The main purpose of the study is to determine whether cyberaggressive responding after the third stimulation session differs between the three stimulation conditions. Cyberaggressive behaviour will be assessed using a competitive online interaction task in which participants can respond to messages from another player. The study will also collect additional behavioural and physiological measures to better understand responses during the tasks.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Anodal tDCS | Experimental | Device: Anodal transcranial direct current stimulationParticipants assigned to this arm will receive anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) during three study sessions conducted on three consecutive days. |
| Cathodal tDCS | Experimental | Device: Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulationParticipants assigned to this arm will receive cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) during three study sessions conducted on three consecutive days. |
| Sham tDCS | Sham comparator | Device: Sham transcranial direct current stimulationParticipants assigned to this arm will receive sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) during three study sessions conducted on three consecutive days. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Are above the age of 18 (for RP pool participants) or 21 (for non-RP pool participants)
- Have no history of unstable medical conditions or significant neurological, cardiovascular, or psychiatric illness including anxiety disorders (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder) and mood disorders (e.g., depression)
- Are not consuming anti-depressants or anti-convulsant, anti-psychotic, or sedative/hypnotic medications
- Have no metallic implants on the scalp
- Have no history of seizures
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Contraindications to non-invasive brain stimulation, including metal in the head, implanted devices, skin conditions on the scalp, neurological conditions, and adverse reactions to brain stimulation
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Anodal transcranial direct current stimulationAlso: Anodal tDCSAnodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will be administered using a prespecified bilateral stimulation montage targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Active stimulation will be delivered at a total current intensity of 2.0 mA for 20 minutes per session, with an 8-second ramp-in and 5-second ramp-out. Participants will receive stimulation during three sessions conducted on three consecutive days. | Device | Anodal tDCS |
| Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulationAlso: Cathodal tDCSCathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will be administered using a prespecified bilateral stimulation montage targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Active stimulation will be delivered at a total current intensity of 2.0 mA for 20 minutes per session, with an 8-second ramp-in and 5-second ramp-out. Participants will receive stimulation during three sessions conducted on three consecutive days. | Device | Cathodal tDCS |
| Sham transcranial direct current stimulationAlso: Sham tDCSSham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will use the prespecified study electrode montage. Current will be ramped up over 8 seconds, delivered for 30 seconds, and ramped down over 5 seconds. The electrodes will remain in place for the remainder of the 20-minute stimulation period to maintain participant masking. Participants will receive sham stimulation during three sessions conducted on three consecutive days. | Device | Sham tDCS |
Primary outcome
Cyberaggressive responding on the TAP-Chat task
Time frame: Day 3 (during the TAP-Chat task following the third tDCS session)
Cyberaggressive responding will be assessed from participant-generated messages during the Taylor Aggression Paradigm-Chat (TAP-Chat) task. Responses will be coded using a pre-specified coding scheme for cyberaggressive content. The primary analysis will compare coded cyberaggressive responding across the anodal, cathodal, and sham tDCS conditions and across the two levels of provocation.
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 2 Nov 2026.
- Background: PubMed 40474608Denson TF, Choy O, Summerell E, Wong I. A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Anger and Aggression. Aggress Behav. 2025 Jul;51(4):e70036. doi: 10.1002/ab.70036.
- Background: PubMed 32583451Burt SA, Kim M, Alhabash S. A novel in vivo measure of cyberaggression. Aggress Behav. 2020 Sep;46(5):449-460. doi: 10.1002/ab.21911. Epub 2020 Jun 24.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data are not currently planned for sharing outside the research team. Any future sharing of de-identified data would be subject to applicable institutional, ethical, and data-protection requirements.
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.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation and Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation in people with Cyberaggression, run by Nanyang Technological University at 1 site in Singapore.
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 1 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Nov 2026. 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 Singapore. 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 Tsz Wing Kok (+6591886732, tszwing002@e.ntu.edu.sg), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Cyberaggressive responding on the TAP-Chat task (time frame: Day 3 (during the TAP-Chat task following the third tDCS session)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07908862, which also lists 2 linked publications.
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 2 Nov 2026.