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Effects of Brain Stimulation on Food Intake and Behavioral Weight Loss Treatment
NCT00739362 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
This study will determine whether electrical stimulation of an area of the brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is important in determining the feeling of fullness after eating, affects how much food a person eats and weight loss over 4 weeks. It will also compare weight changes in people who attend weight loss counseling sessions and those who do not over this period of time. Obese, non-diabetic people between 18 and 60 years of age who are in good health and who live in the Phoenix, AZ, metropolitan area are eligible for this study. Candidates must have a body mass index of 35 kg/m(2) or more and weigh less than 350 pounds. Participants are admitted to the NIH inpatient unit in Phoenix for the first 9 days of the study for tests, which include meal tests to determine eating behaviors and caloric intake, blood and urine tests, glucose tolerance test, weight measurement, psychological assessments and DEXA scan to measure body fat. For 3 of the days, they will be asked to eat all of their food from automated vending machines. Some subjects receive transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS). For this procedure, electrodes that conduct electricity are placed on the head and arm and the current is turned on for 40 minutes. Some tingling may be felt under the electrodes. Other subjects receive sham TDCS, with the current turned on only very briefly. After the evaluations, subjects are discharged home from the NIH unit and instructed to eat 25 percent fewer calories than they consumed while on a weight maintenance diet the first 3 days of their inpatient stay. They maintain the lower calorie diet at home for 4 weeks. During this period they come to the NIH unit 3 days a week to receive either real or sham TDCS. ...
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- DEVICE Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS)
- OTHER Sham/no-stimulation
Study Locations (1)
Arizona
- NIDDK, Phoenix — Phoenix
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 148 participants |
| Start Date | 2009-01-19 |
| Est. Completion | 2026-07-31 |
| Phase | Phase 2 |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT00739362
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT00739362 describes a study currently listed as recruiting. It is categorized as Phase 2, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 148 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), which has 375 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 4 conditions, with Obesity appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 2 interventions — of which Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT00739362 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Arizona. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT00739362 about?
NCT00739362 is a clinical study titled "Effects of Brain Stimulation on Food Intake and Behavioral Weight Loss Treatment". This study will determine whether electrical stimulation of an area of the brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is important in determining the feeling of fullness after eating, affects how much food a person eats and weight loss over 4 weeks. It will also compare weight changes in...
What is the current status of trial NCT00739362?
This trial is currently recruiting. It is a Phase 2 study. The enrollment target is 148 participants. The study started on 2009-01-19. Estimated completion is 2026-07-31.
What conditions does trial NCT00739362 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Obesity, Weight Loss, Eating, Electric Stimulation Therapy. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT00739362?
The interventions under investigation include: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) (DEVICE), Sham/no-stimulation (OTHER). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT00739362?
This trial is sponsored by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), which has 375 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT00739362 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Arizona. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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