Working MemoryTravelingTESNCT05399381

Traveling-wave Transcranial Electric Stimulation

A study testing Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) in people with Working Memory, run by University of Minnesota at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record

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Trial summary

This study will assess the impact of traveling wave transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on working memory performance in adults. Read more about this study

Who is it for?: Ages 18 to 45 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for: Working Memory
What is being tested?: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)
Type of treatment: Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?: No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people: 34 participants
Where: 1 siteUnited States
Study dates: 5 Sep 2022to 1 Feb 2025
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 45 years
All sexes
Healthy volunteers accepted
Adult

Who may be able to join

Age between 18 and 45 years old.
Confident level of English language.

Who cannot join

History or evidence of chronic neurological or mental disorder.
Metal or electric implant in the head, neck, or chest area.
History of head injuries with loss of consciousness.
Any acute or chronic medical condition that requires ongoing pharmacological treatment.
Pregnancy or breast-feeding.
Alcohol or drug addiction.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site

University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Precision Transcranial Electric Stimulation for the Therapy of Cognitive Impairment

This study will assess the impact of traveling wave transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on working memory performance in adults.

Read the detailed description

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can non-invasively alter neuroelectric activity in the brain by applying weak time-varying electric currents via the scalp. Complex patterns of electric brain activity can take the form of traveling waves - spatially coherent brain rhythms that gradually propagate through the neocortex. Traveling waves are crucial for the temporal coordination of informational flow in the brain. Using the novel traveling-wave transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) approach, the investigators will explore the effects of frontal-to-parietal and parietal-to-frontal traveling waves on working memory performance and brain electrophysiology in adults.

Conditions: Working Memory
Being tested: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)Device
Non-invasive, multi-electrode transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) over frontal and parietal brain areas.

Study groups in NCT05399381
Study group	Role	What they receive
Frontoparietal Slow Theta (4 Hz, 45° phase)	Experimental	This condition represents one of the four active stimulation conditions administered in a randomized, triple-blind, sham-controlled, within-subject crossover study. Each participant completed two study sessions separated by a minimum 48-hour washout period. During each session, participants received two active stimulation blocks separated by one sham stimulation block. Across both sessions, all participants received all four active stimulation conditions. Randomization determined only the crossover sequence (i.e., which two active conditions were administered during each session and the order in which the four active conditions were delivered across the four active stimulation blocks). This condition corresponds to frontoparietal traveling-wave tACS at 4 Hz with a 45° phase difference. Receives: Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)
Frontoparietal Slow Theta (4 Hz, 315° phase)	Experimental	This condition represents one of the four active stimulation conditions administered as part of the same randomized within-subject crossover design described above. All participants received this condition; only the randomized crossover sequence differed across participants. This condition corresponds to parietofrontal traveling-wave tACS at 4 Hz with a 315° phase difference. Receives: Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)
Parietofrontal Fast Theta (7 Hz, 45° phase)	Experimental	This condition represents one of the four active stimulation conditions administered as part of the same randomized within-subject crossover design described above. All participants received this condition; only the randomized crossover sequence differed across participants. This condition corresponds to frontoparietal traveling-wave tACS at 7 Hz with a 45° phase difference. Receives: Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)
Experimental: Parietofrontal Fast Theta (7 Hz, 315° phase)	Experimental	This condition represents one of the four active stimulation conditions administered as part of the same randomized within-subject crossover design described above. All participants received this condition; only the randomized crossover sequence differed across participants. This condition corresponds to parietofrontal traveling-wave tACS at 7 Hz with a 315° phase difference. Receives: Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

Working Memory Accuracy (N-back Task)
Accuracy (proportion of correct responses) during performance of the N-back working memory task within each stimulation block. Values represent absolute task performance during active or sham stimulation in a within-subject crossover design.
Measured: During each stimulation block (approximately 20 minutes per block) in two study sessions conducted on separate days and separated by a minimum 48-hour washout period.

Secondary outcomes (2)

Changes in Reaction Time
Reaction time (milliseconds) during performance of the N-back working memory task within each stimulation block. Values represent absolute reaction time during active or sham stimulation conditions in a within-subject crossover design
Measured: During each stimulation block (approximately 20 minutes per block) in two study sessions conducted on separate days and separated by a minimum 48-hour washout period.
Theta-band Frontoparietal EEG Phase Connectivity (dwPLI)
Frontoparietal phase synchronization in the theta band (4-7 Hz), quantified using the debiased weighted Phase-Lag Index (dwPLI) between frontal and parietal electrode pairs. Connectivity values range from 0 to 1, with higher values indicating stronger phase synchronization
Measured: Resting-state EEG was recorded immediately before and immediately after each stimulation block in two sessions conducted on separate days (≥48-hour washout).

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

5 Sep 20221 Feb 2025

First posted1 Jun 2022
Study start5 Sep 2022
Primary completion1 Feb 2025
Study completion1 Feb 2025

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 Working MemoryStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
More trials run by University of MinnesotaThe 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: Randomized, within-subject crossover assignment
Masking: Triple blind
Who is masked: Participant, Care provider, Investigator
Enrolment: 34 participants (actual)

IDs, dates and publications

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05399381
Sponsor's protocol ID: STUDY00002876
Other IDs: 30064
Acronym: TravelingTES
Status last verified: Jul 2026
First submitted: 6 Apr 2022
Last updated: 20 Aug 2026
Results posted: Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
FDA-regulated drug: No
FDA-regulated device: Yes
Individual data sharing: Yes: Full or partial access to the preprocessed data will be provided upon the request to the faculty / research staff of recognized research, medical, and educational institutions for educational and scientific purposes. The request should be sent via an institutional email and will be stored with the study materials. The request should include a short description of the scientific or educational aims.

Want to know more?

The sponsor has not listed a contact. The official record may have more details.

Talk to your doctor first and take this page with you. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

Questions to ask the study team

What is the study trying to find out?
What would I need to do, and how often would I visit?
Could I receive a placebo instead of the treatment?
What are the possible risks and benefits for me?
Will it cost me anything? Are travel or time paid for?
Can I keep seeing my own doctor during the study?
What happens when the study ends?

See locations

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All Working Memory trials

Study at a glance

From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 20 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.

Official title: Precision Transcranial Electric Stimulation for the Therapy of Cognitive Impairment
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05399381
Acronym / sponsor ID: TravelingTES / STUDY00002876
Conditions: Working Memory
Study type: Interventional
Recruitment status: Completed
Enrolment: 34 participants (actual)
Lead sponsor: University of MinnesotaUniversity, hospital or other
Collaborators: Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
Study start: 5 Sep 2022 (actual)
Primary completion: 1 Feb 2025 (actual)
Study completion: 1 Feb 2025 (actual)
First posted: 1 Jun 2022 (actual)
Results: Posted 20 Aug 2026

Clinical summary

The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.

This study will assess the impact of traveling wave transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on working memory performance in adults.

Detailed description

Study design

Primary purpose: Basic science
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Crossover
Masking: Triple blind (participant, care provider, investigator)
Number of arms: 4
Model description: Randomized, within-subject crossover assignment

Arm	Type	Receives
Frontoparietal Slow Theta (4 Hz, 45° phase)	Experimental	Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)This condition represents one of the four active stimulation conditions administered in a randomized, triple-blind, sham-controlled, within-subject crossover study. Each participant completed two study sessions separated by a minimum 48-hour washout period. During each session, participants received two active stimulation blocks separated by one sham stimulation block. Across both sessions, all participants received all four active stimulation conditions. Randomization determined only the crossover sequence (i.e., which two active conditions were administered during each session and the order in which the four active conditions were delivered across the four active stimulation blocks). This condition corresponds to frontoparietal traveling-wave tACS at 4 Hz with a 45° phase difference.
Frontoparietal Slow Theta (4 Hz, 315° phase)	Experimental	Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)This condition represents one of the four active stimulation conditions administered as part of the same randomized within-subject crossover design described above. All participants received this condition; only the randomized crossover sequence differed across participants. This condition corresponds to parietofrontal traveling-wave tACS at 4 Hz with a 315° phase difference.
Parietofrontal Fast Theta (7 Hz, 45° phase)	Experimental	Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)This condition represents one of the four active stimulation conditions administered as part of the same randomized within-subject crossover design described above. All participants received this condition; only the randomized crossover sequence differed across participants. This condition corresponds to frontoparietal traveling-wave tACS at 7 Hz with a 45° phase difference.
Experimental: Parietofrontal Fast Theta (7 Hz, 315° phase)	Experimental	Device: Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)This condition represents one of the four active stimulation conditions administered as part of the same randomized within-subject crossover design described above. All participants received this condition; only the randomized crossover sequence differed across participants. This condition corresponds to parietofrontal traveling-wave tACS at 7 Hz with a 315° phase difference.

Who may qualify

Ages: 18 to 45 years
Sex: All
Healthy volunteers: Accepted
Age groups: Adult

Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)

Age between 18 and 45 years old.
Confident level of English language.

Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)

History or evidence of chronic neurological or mental disorder.
Metal or electric implant in the head, neck, or chest area.
History of head injuries with loss of consciousness.
Any acute or chronic medical condition that requires ongoing pharmacological treatment.
Pregnancy or breast-feeding.

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
Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)Non-invasive, multi-electrode transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) over frontal and parietal brain areas.	Device	Experimental: Parietofrontal Fast Theta (7 Hz, 315° phase), Frontoparietal Slow Theta (4 Hz, 315° phase), Frontoparietal Slow Theta (4 Hz, 45° phase), Parietofrontal Fast Theta (7 Hz, 45° phase)

Primary outcome

Working Memory Accuracy (N-back Task)
Time frame: During each stimulation block (approximately 20 minutes per block) in two study sessions conducted on separate days and separated by a minimum 48-hour washout period.
Accuracy (proportion of correct responses) during performance of the N-back working memory task within each stimulation block. Values represent absolute task performance during active or sham stimulation in a within-subject crossover design.

2 secondary outcomes

Changes in Reaction Time
Time frame: During each stimulation block (approximately 20 minutes per block) in two study sessions conducted on separate days and separated by a minimum 48-hour washout period.
Theta-band Frontoparietal EEG Phase Connectivity (dwPLI)
Time frame: Resting-state EEG was recorded immediately before and immediately after each stimulation block in two sessions conducted on separate days (≥48-hour washout).

Results and safety

Results posted to the registry on 20 Aug 2026, as reported by the sponsor. Figures are copied from the record, not re-analysed. Full results on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Participant flow

Group	Started	Completed
All Study Participants	34	29

Primary outcome: Working Memory Accuracy (N-back Task)

Time frame: During each stimulation block (approximately 20 minutes per block) in two study sessions conducted on separate days and separated by a minimum 48-hour washout period.. Mean (Standard Deviation). Unit: proportion

Measure	Frontoparietal Slow Theta Stimulation n = 29	Frontoparietal Fast Theta Stimulation n = 29	Parietofrontal Slow Theta Stimulation n = 29	Parietofrontal Fast Theta Stimulation n = 29
Value	0.77 (0.11)	0.79 (0.13)	0.82 (0.1)	0.78 (0.1)

Population analysed: All participants were enrolled in a randomized, within-subject crossover design and received all stimulation conditions across two sessions

2 secondary outcomes are reported in the full results.

Adverse events

Time frame: During each stimulation block and for 20 minutes following stimulation in two study sessions conducted on separate days (≥48-hour washout between sessions). Each session lasted approximately 2 hours.. Other adverse events reported at 0% frequency or more

Group	Serious adverse events	Other adverse events	Deaths
Frontoparietal Slow Theta Stimulation	0 of 29 (0%)	0 of 29 (0%)	0 of 29
Frontoparietal Fast Theta Stimulation	0 of 29 (0%)	0 of 29 (0%)	0 of 29
Parietofrontal Slow Theta Stimulation	0 of 29 (0%)	0 of 29 (0%)	0 of 29
Parietofrontal Fast Theta Stimulation	0 of 29 (0%)	0 of 29 (0%)	0 of 29

Limitations and caveats (from the sponsor): Although the within-subject crossover design increases statistical power and controls for inter-individual variability, it may still be susceptible to carryover or learning effects, particularly in repeated n-back performance, despite randomization and sham sessions. Because two stimulation conditions were administered within a single session, residual effects from the first stimulation may have influenced responses during the second condition.

Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…

Research links

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 20 Aug 2026.
Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Full or partial access to the preprocessed data will be provided upon the request to the faculty / research staff of recognized research, medical, and educational institutions for educational and scientific purposes. The request should be sent via an institutional email and will be stored with the study materials. The request should include a short description of the scientific or educational aims.

Related trials for Working Memory

Active, not recruitingPhase 4
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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. This study is not recruiting at the moment.

Ivan Alekseichuk, PhD principal investigator

University of Minnesota

1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) in people with Working Memory, run by University of Minnesota 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 6 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 20 Aug 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 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 20 Aug 2026). 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?

Working Memory Accuracy (N-back Task) (time frame: During each stimulation block (approximately 20 minutes per block) in two study sessions conducted on separate days and separated by a minimum 48-hour washout period.). 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 NCT05399381.

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 20 Aug 2026.