Prefrontal Neuroplasticity and Coping Strategies in Healthy Population

Prefrontal Neuroplasticity and Coping Strategies in Healthy Population: a Randomized Sham Controlled Trial

The current study serves as a pilot for the GRF project "Predicting illness trajectories in fully remitted major depression using concurrent TBS/fNIRS." The project examines whether intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) induces immediate changes in prefrontal excitability in healthy individuals, compared to sham stimulation. In this randomized, sham-controlled trial, investigators will assess several psychological measures-including the Perceived Stress Scale and the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations-to explore how stress levels and coping strategies relate to immediate prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity changes following TBS.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18-60 years old;

Exclusion Criteria:

• a family history of psychiatric disorders;
• history of or currently diagnosed neuropsychiatric conditions;
• history of or active systemic illnesses such as cancer, epilepsy, diabetes, hypertension, or other medical conditions;
• contraindications to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS);
• any prior exposure to brain stimulation procedures.