Healthy AdultsNCT03564353
Investigating Memory in Healthy Subjects Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
A study testing tDCS in people with Healthy Adults, run by The University of Texas at Dallas at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether we can improve associative memory performance in healthy subjects, by applying transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) during a verbal paired-associate learning task Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Healthy Adults
- What is being tested?
- tDCS
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 7 Jun 2018to 25 Jan 2022
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
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 to 35 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Age: 18-35 years
- Native English Speaker
Who cannot join
- History of severe head injuries, epileptic insults, or heart disease.
- Severe psychiatric disorders and severe untreated medical problems.
- acquainted with the foreign language used in the learning task
- Contraindications for tDCS (pregnant women, implanted devices)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
The University of Texas of Dallas
Richardson, Texas, 75080
About this study
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether we can improve associative memory performance in healthy subjects, by applying transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) during a verbal paired-associate learning task
Read the detailed description
Associative memory refers to remembering the association between two items, such as a face and a name or a word in English and the same word in another language. It is not only important for learning, but it is also one of the first aspects of memory performance that is impacted by aging and by Alzheimer's disease. For decades, neuroscientists have investigated associative learning and memory and ways to accelerate and enhance associative learning and memory.
Transcranial Direct Current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive and painless electrical stimulation technique that has demonstrated to accelerate learning and improve memory in some studies. To investigate whether it is possible to improve associative memory using tDCS, the performance in a Verbal Paired-Associate memory task of 4 groups targeting different areas will be compared.
- Conditions
- Healthy Adults
- Being tested
- tDCS
- Keywords
- transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), memory
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
tDCSDevice
tDCS
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| memory task with tDCS location 1 | Experimental | memory task paired with tDCS targeting C2 nerve (anode left c2; cathode right C2) Receives: Device: tDCS |
| memory task with tDCS location 2 | Experimental | memory task paired with tDCS targeting C2 nerve (anode right c2; cathode left C2) Receives: Device: tDCS |
| memory task with tDCS location 3 | Experimental | memory task paired with tDCS targeting C5/6 nerve Receives: Device: tDCS |
| memory task with tDCS location 4 | Experimental | memory task paired with tDCS targeting trigeminal nerve dermatomes (left and right temple/jaw) Receives: Device: tDCS |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Associative Memory Assessed by a Verbal Paired-Associate Test
Participants got the opportunity to learn the list of 75-word pairs across a total of eight alternating study (S) and test (T) periods. Participants came back for a final test session (all 75 words tested) 7 days later and were asked to give the English translations of Swahili words. A score was calaculated based on the percentage of words (English trnaslations) correctly recalled words.
Measured: Baseline and 1 week after the tDCS
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 Jun 2018
- Study start7 Jun 2018
- Primary completion25 Jan 2022
- Study completion25 Jan 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for Healthy AdultsStudies 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
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups: (1) tDCS targeting location 1 paired with memory task (2) tDCS targeting location 2 with memory task (3) tDCS targeting location 3 paired with memory task (4) tDCS targeting location 4 paired with memory task
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The University of Texas at Dallas
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Sven Vanneste, The University of Texas at Dallas
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03564353
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 17-34 CM
- Status last verified
- Jan 2022
- First submitted
- 10 Jun 2018
- Last updated
- 3 Feb 2022
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 3 Feb 2022. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Investigating Memory in Healthy Subjects Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03564353
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 17-34 CM
- Conditions
- Healthy Adults
- Keywords
- transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), memory
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- The University of Texas at DallasUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 7 Jun 2018 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 25 Jan 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 25 Jan 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 20 Jun 2018 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 11 Sep 2020
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether we can improve associative memory performance in healthy subjects, by applying transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) during a verbal paired-associate learning task
Detailed description
Associative memory refers to remembering the association between two items, such as a face and a name or a word in English and the same word in another language. It is not only important for learning, but it is also one of the first aspects of memory performance that is impacted by aging and by Alzheimer's disease. For decades, neuroscientists have investigated associative learning and memory and ways to accelerate and enhance associative learning and memory.
Transcranial Direct Current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive and painless electrical stimulation technique that has demonstrated to accelerate learning and improve memory in some studies. To investigate whether it is possible to improve associative memory using tDCS, the performance in a Verbal Paired-Associate memory task of 4 groups targeting different areas will be compared.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 4
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups: (1) tDCS targeting location 1 paired with memory task (2) tDCS targeting location 2 with memory task (3) tDCS targeting location 3 paired with memory task (4) tDCS targeting location 4 paired with memory task
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| memory task with tDCS location 1 | Experimental | Device: tDCSmemory task paired with tDCS targeting C2 nerve (anode left c2; cathode right C2) |
| memory task with tDCS location 2 | Experimental | Device: tDCSmemory task paired with tDCS targeting C2 nerve (anode right c2; cathode left C2) |
| memory task with tDCS location 3 | Experimental | Device: tDCSmemory task paired with tDCS targeting C5/6 nerve |
| memory task with tDCS location 4 | Experimental | Device: tDCSmemory task paired with tDCS targeting trigeminal nerve dermatomes (left and right temple/jaw) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Age: 18-35 years
- Native English Speaker
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- History of severe head injuries, epileptic insults, or heart disease.
- Severe psychiatric disorders and severe untreated medical problems.
- acquainted with the foreign language used in the learning task
- Contraindications for tDCS (pregnant women, implanted devices)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| tDCStDCS | Device | memory task with tDCS location 1, memory task with tDCS location 2, memory task with tDCS location 3, memory task with tDCS location 4 |
Primary outcome
Associative Memory Assessed by a Verbal Paired-Associate Test
Time frame: Baseline and 1 week after the tDCS
Participants got the opportunity to learn the list of 75-word pairs across a total of eight alternating study (S) and test (T) periods. Participants came back for a final test session (all 75 words tested) 7 days later and were asked to give the English translations of Swahili words. A score was calaculated based on the percentage of words (English trnaslations) correctly recalled words.
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 3 Feb 2022.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
Related trials for Healthy Adults
RecruitingPhase 3
Weight Gain Prevention in Adolescents and Young Adults
Healthy Volunteers
Not yet recruiting
Contribution of Corticospinal and Reticulospinal Mechanisms to Neural Adaptations Induced by Muscle Strengthening of Healthy Adults
Healthy Volunteers, Resistance Training Adaptation
Not yet recruitingPhase 1
A Study to Investigate Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of Tacabrutideg (BGB-16673) in Participants With Moderate and Severe Hepatic Impairment
Hepatic Impairment, Healthy Adult Participants
Recruiting
Assessing Blood Pressure Variability in a Healthy Adult Population During Transcutaneous Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation With the Zeus Sleep Device
Transcutaneous Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation
Recruiting
Effects of Breathing Exercises on Cognition in Older Adults
Older Adults (65 Years and Older), Cognition
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. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing tDCS in people with Healthy Adults, run by The University of Texas at Dallas at 1 site in United States.
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 2 inclusion and 4 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Feb 2022. 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 United States. 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. 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?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 11 Sep 2020). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Associative Memory Assessed by a Verbal Paired-Associate Test (time frame: Baseline and 1 week after the 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 3 Feb 2022.