MotivationNCT06257433
InformationSeekingMesolimbicEngagementStudy2
A study testing Task Instructions in people with Motivation, run by Temple University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Participants will complete a treasure task during neuroimaging where they have to learn which keys open a treasure chest, and then they are tested on the contents of the treasure chest. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 45 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Motivation
- What is being tested?
- Task Instructions
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 80 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 24 Oct 2023to 1 Aug 2026
- 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 to 45 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- 20/40 far acuity (either corrected or uncorrected)
- In good medical health
Who cannot join
- History of head injury
- History of illness with Central Nervous Systems implications
- On Medications that Affect blood flow response and alertness
- Consumption of smoking and/or coffee 30 minutes prior to laboratory testing
- Placement of a device contraindicated for magnetic resonance imaging including cardia pacemaker, aneurysm clip, cochlear implants, pregnancy, intra-uterine device, shrapnel, metal fragments in the eyes, neurostimulators
- Weight > 250lbs
- Claustrophobia
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19122
Vishnu P Murty, 7406328932, vishnu.murty@temple.edu
Vishnu P Murty, PhD
About this study
Official title: The Influence of Mesolimbic-hippocampal Interactions on Episodic Memory During Active Information Seeking
Participants will complete a treasure task during neuroimaging where they have to learn which keys open a treasure chest, and then they are tested on the contents of the treasure chest.
Read the detailed description
Study 2 will use a treasure task (employed in C.2.1.1), in which participants select amongst 3 keys to learn which feature of keys unlocks the treasure chest, revealing a trial unique object image (Fig. 8b). On each encoding trial participants view three multi-featural keys and a treasure chest. Each key varies on three dimensions: color (red, blue, yellow), shape of the handle (square, circle, triangle), and number of ridges (one, two, three). On each trial, all 9 dimensions of the keys are represented, but the dimensions represented on each key are randomized across trials. During hypothesis testing runs, participants are instructed to find the feature of a key that opens the treasure chest to reveal a trial-unique image. Critically, there is one target feature of a key that deterministically opens the treasure chest. The target feature of the key randomly changes after participants successfully open the chest 4 consecutive times. This design manipulates goal-oriented exploration by allowing participants to resolve uncertainty until they identify the target feature of the key. Uncertainty resolution is the greatest after the target features switches and incrementally reduces via individuals' active hypothesis testing. During control runs, participants will be instructed to select specific keys, and key selection and outcomes will be yolked to prior hypothesis testing runs. Participants will complete 3 runs of hypothesis testing runs and 3 control runs. Trial number for each run is determined by participant behavior, in that hypothesis testing runs end when participants complete 4 rule switches (~30 trials). Encoding is incidental in this task. Following encoding, participants will complete an immediate and delayed item memory test. On each trial, participants will view objects from the hypothesis testing and control conditions as well as new foil objects. Memory will be tested for half the stimuli immediately and at a 24-hour delay. These memory measures will be related to uncertainty resolution estimated by reinforcement learning, to determine how prior knowledge during information seeking has subsequent effects on memory.
- Conditions
- Motivation
- Being tested
- Task Instructions
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Task InstructionsBehavioural
Participants will be given cued instructions as to whether they are in a high or low motivation condition
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Motivation | Experimental | Trials in which participants are motivated by hypothesis testing or not. Receives: Behavioral: Task Instructions |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Mesolimbic Hippocampal Interactions
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Activation characterizing Mesolimbic-Hippocampal Interactions
Measured: During Procedure
Episodic Memory
Item and Associative Memory for memoranda shown during the task
Measured: 24-hours After Procedure
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 Feb 2024
- Study start24 Oct 2023
- Primary completion1 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Aug 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for MotivationStudies 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
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Temple University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06257433
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- R01DA055259-2
- Other IDs
- R01DA055259
- Status last verified
- Aug 2025
- First submitted
- 31 Jan 2024
- Last updated
- 5 Sep 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Deidentified data will be shared on the open science framework.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 5 Sep 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Influence of Mesolimbic-hippocampal Interactions on Episodic Memory During Active Information Seeking
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06257433
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- R01DA055259-2
- Conditions
- Motivation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Temple UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 24 Oct 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 14 Feb 2024 (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.
Participants will complete a treasure task during neuroimaging where they have to learn which keys open a treasure chest, and then they are tested on the contents of the treasure chest.
Detailed description
Study 2 will use a treasure task (employed in C.2.1.1), in which participants select amongst 3 keys to learn which feature of keys unlocks the treasure chest, revealing a trial unique object image (Fig. 8b). On each encoding trial participants view three multi-featural keys and a treasure chest. Each key varies on three dimensions: color (red, blue, yellow), shape of the handle (square, circle, triangle), and number of ridges (one, two, three). On each trial, all 9 dimensions of the keys are represented, but the dimensions represented on each key are randomized across trials. During hypothesis testing runs, participants are instructed to find the feature of a key that opens the treasure chest to reveal a trial-unique image. Critically, there is one target feature of a key that deterministically opens the treasure chest. The target feature of the key randomly changes after participants successfully open the chest 4 consecutive times. This design manipulates goal-oriented exploration by allowing participants to resolve uncertainty until they identify the target feature of the key. Uncertainty resolution is the greatest after the target features switches and incrementally reduces via individuals' active hypothesis testing. During control runs, participants will be instructed to select specific keys, and key selection and outcomes will be yolked to prior hypothesis testing runs. Participants will complete 3 runs of hypothesis testing runs and 3 control runs. Trial number for each run is determined by participant behavior, in that hypothesis testing runs end when participants complete 4 rule switches (~30 trials). Encoding is incidental in this task. Following encoding, participants will complete an immediate and delayed item memory test. On each trial, participants will view objects from the hypothesis testing and control conditions as well as new foil objects. Memory will be tested for half the stimuli immediately and at a 24-hour delay. These memory measures will be related to uncertainty resolution estimated by reinforcement learning, to determine how prior knowledge during information seeking has subsequent effects on memory.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Motivation | Experimental | Behavioral: Task InstructionsTrials in which participants are motivated by hypothesis testing or not. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 45 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- 20/40 far acuity (either corrected or uncorrected)
- In good medical health
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- History of head injury
- History of illness with Central Nervous Systems implications
- On Medications that Affect blood flow response and alertness
- Consumption of smoking and/or coffee 30 minutes prior to laboratory testing
- Placement of a device contraindicated for magnetic resonance imaging including cardia pacemaker, aneurysm clip, cochlear implants, pregnancy, intra-uterine device, shrapnel, metal fragments in the eyes, neurostimulators
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Task InstructionsParticipants will be given cued instructions as to whether they are in a high or low motivation condition | Behavioural | Motivation |
Primary outcome
Mesolimbic Hippocampal Interactions
Time frame: During Procedure
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Activation characterizing Mesolimbic-Hippocampal Interactions
Episodic Memory
Time frame: 24-hours After Procedure
Item and Associative Memory for memoranda shown during the task
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 5 Sep 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Deidentified data will be shared on the open science framework.
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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.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Task Instructions in people with Motivation, run by Temple University 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 7 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Sep 2025. 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?
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 Vishnu Murty, PhD (7406328932, vishnu.murty@temple.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Mesolimbic Hippocampal Interactions (time frame: During Procedure). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. 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 5 Sep 2025.