HealthyMEMOCHAMNCT07398833
Modulation of Working Memory by an Alternating Magnetic Field in Humans
A study testing Electrical stimulation, Magnetic stimulation and No stimulation in people with Healthy, run by Clinique Beau Soleil.
Trial summary
Many studies have examined the effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on working memory, showing that low-intensity stimulation can enhance cognitive performance by modulating neuronal activity, particularly in the frontal cortex and the parietal lobule. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 50 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Healthy
- What is being tested?
- Electrical stimulation, Magnetic stimulation and No stimulation
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 102 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 1 Apr 2026to 1 Sep 2028
- 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 50 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Written, voluntary, and informed consent to participate in the study
- Fluent French speaker (task instructions are provided in French)
- Normal or corrected-to-normal vision using contact lenses only
- Non inclusion Criteria:
- Individuals deprived of liberty by law
- Individuals under legal guardianship or curatorship
Show all 11Show fewer
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women
- Presence of metallic implants in the head, implanted electronic devices, or any other metallic object that cannot be removed for the experiment (e.g. dental fillings)
- History of neurological or psychiatric disorders according to the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition)
- History of pathology or chronic disease affecting memory or attention
- Drug or alcohol consumption within the previous 24 hours
Who cannot join
None listed.
About this study
Many studies have examined the effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on working memory, showing that low-intensity stimulation can enhance cognitive performance by modulating neuronal activity, particularly in the frontal cortex and the parietal lobule. Specific frequencies, such as the gamma frequency, have demonstrated beneficial effects on memory under high cognitive load. However, tACS has technical limitations, including uncomfortable sensations and uneven diffusion of electrical currents within the brain, which restrict its effectiveness in deeper brain regions.
Transcranial alternating magnetic stimulation (tAMS) is emerging as a potentially more precise and comfortable method. Unlike tACS, tAMS uses magnetic fields that penetrate more deeply into the brain and provide a more homogeneous distribution of induced electrical currents, allowing for more targeted stimulation. This study compares the effects of tACS and tAMS on working memory, with the hypothesis that tAMS will offer additional advantages in terms of comfort and efficacy. Cognitive performance will be assessed using working memory tasks, along with EEG signals to analyze neuronal modulations. The objective is to demonstrate that tAMS more effectively reaches deep brain regions and improves cognitive functions.
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Being tested
- Electrical stimulation, Magnetic stimulation, No stimulation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Electrical stimulationOther
The experimental session lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes and includes four phases: Time 0, dedicated to training and adjustment of task difficulty, followed by Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3, corresponding respectively to assessments of working memory performance before, during, and after exposure to stimulation. Each phase includes blocks of the Sternberg task, for a total of 180 trials per session. Each block lasts 10 minutes.
Magnetic stimulationOther
The experimental session lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes and includes four time points: Time 0, dedicated to training and adjustment of task difficulty, followed by Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3, corresponding respectively to assessments of working memory performance before, during, and after exposure to stimulation. Each time point includes blocks of the Sternberg task, for a total of 180 trials per session. Each block lasts 10 minutes.
No stimulationOther
The experimental session lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes and includes four time points: Time 0, dedicated to training and adjustment of task difficulty, followed by Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3, corresponding respectively to assessments of working memory performance before, during, and after exposure to sham stimulation. Each time point includes blocks of the Sternberg task, for a total of 180 trials per session. Each block lasts 10 minutes.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| 40 Hz tACS stimulation | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Electrical stimulation |
| 60 Hz tACS stimulation | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Electrical stimulation |
| 40 Hz tAMS stimulation | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Magnetic stimulation |
| 60 Hz tAMS stimulation | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Magnetic stimulation |
| No stimulation | Sham comparator | Not described Receives: Other: No stimulation |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Sternberg task
During each trial, participants memorize a sequence of eight letters presented sequentially. They are then shown a probe letter displayed in blue and must indicate whether this letter was part of the memorized sequence. Participant performance will be evaluated based on two behavioral measures: accuracy (proportions of correct and incorrect responses) and reaction time in milliseconds.
Measured: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
Secondary outcomes (9)
EEG Power Outcomes
Absolute power of EEG frequency bands will be measured using power spectral density analysis to quantify the energy within each frequency band associated with working memory.
Measured: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
EEG Power Outcomes
Relative power of EEG frequency bands will be calculated as the proportion of power in each frequency band relative to the total EEG signal power.
Measured: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
EEG Power Outcomes
Mean frequency of the EEG signal will be calculated from the power spectral density to characterize frequency distribution related to working memory processes.
Measured: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
EEG Power Outcomes
Median frequency of the EEG signal will be derived from the power spectral density as an indicator of the central tendency of EEG frequency content.
Measured: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
EEG Power Outcomes
Peak power frequency of the EEG signal will be identified as the frequency at which maximum power occurs.
Measured: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
EEG Signal Regularity Outcomes (RQA)
Recurrence rate derived from recurrence quantification analysis will be used to quantify the proportion of recurrent patterns in the EEG signal.
Measured: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
EEG Signal Regularity Outcomes (RQA)
Determinism derived from recurrence quantification analysis will be used to assess the temporal organization and regularity of EEG signal dynamics.
Measured: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
Neuropsychological data
Score from the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) will be used to assess fatigue.
The Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory is a self-reported questionnaire with total scores ranging from 20 to 100. Higher scores reflect higher levels of fatigue.
Measured: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure)
Neuropsychological data
Score from the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) will be used to assess anxiety.
The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory is a self-reported questionnaire with scores ranging from 20 to 80. Higher scores reflect higher levels of anxiety.
Measured: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted10 Feb 2026
- Study start1 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Apr 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Sep 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for HealthyStudies 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
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 102 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Clinique Beau Soleil
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07398833
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2025-A00296-43
- Acronym
- MEMOCHAM
- Status last verified
- Feb 2026
- First submitted
- 8 Dec 2025
- Last updated
- 17 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Modulation of Working Memory by an Alternating Magnetic Field in Humans
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07398833
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MEMOCHAM / 2025-A00296-43
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 102 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Clinique Beau SoleilUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 1 Apr 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Sep 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 10 Feb 2026 (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.
Many studies have examined the effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) on working memory, showing that low-intensity stimulation can enhance cognitive performance by modulating neuronal activity, particularly in the frontal cortex and the parietal lobule. Specific frequencies, such as the gamma frequency, have demonstrated beneficial effects on memory under high cognitive load. However, tACS has technical limitations, including uncomfortable sensations and uneven diffusion of electrical currents within the brain, which restrict its effectiveness in deeper brain regions.
Transcranial alternating magnetic stimulation (tAMS) is emerging as a potentially more precise and comfortable method. Unlike tACS, tAMS uses magnetic fields that penetrate more deeply into the brain and provide a more homogeneous distribution of induced electrical currents, allowing for more targeted stimulation. This study compares the effects of tACS and tAMS on working memory, with the hypothesis that tAMS will offer additional advantages in terms of comfort and efficacy. Cognitive performance will be assessed using working memory tasks, along with EEG signals to analyze neuronal modulations. The objective is to demonstrate that tAMS more effectively reaches deep brain regions and improves cognitive functions.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 5
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| 40 Hz tACS stimulation | Experimental | Other: Electrical stimulation |
| 60 Hz tACS stimulation | Experimental | Other: Electrical stimulation |
| 40 Hz tAMS stimulation | Experimental | Other: Magnetic stimulation |
| 60 Hz tAMS stimulation | Experimental | Other: Magnetic stimulation |
| No stimulation | Sham comparator | Other: No stimulation |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 50 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (11 listed)
- Written, voluntary, and informed consent to participate in the study
- Fluent French speaker (task instructions are provided in French)
- Normal or corrected-to-normal vision using contact lenses only
- Individuals deprived of liberty by law
- Individuals under legal guardianship or curatorship
Key exclusion criteria (0 listed)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical stimulationThe experimental session lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes and includes four phases: Time 0, dedicated to training and adjustment of task difficulty, followed by Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3, corresponding respectively to assessments of working memory performance before, during, and after exposure to stimulation. Each phase includes blocks of the Sternberg task, for a total of 180 trials per session. Each block lasts 10 minutes. | Other | 40 Hz tACS stimulation, 60 Hz tACS stimulation |
| Magnetic stimulationThe experimental session lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes and includes four time points: Time 0, dedicated to training and adjustment of task difficulty, followed by Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3, corresponding respectively to assessments of working memory performance before, during, and after exposure to stimulation. Each time point includes blocks of the Sternberg task, for a total of 180 trials per session. Each block lasts 10 minutes. | Other | 40 Hz tAMS stimulation, 60 Hz tAMS stimulation |
| No stimulationThe experimental session lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes and includes four time points: Time 0, dedicated to training and adjustment of task difficulty, followed by Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3, corresponding respectively to assessments of working memory performance before, during, and after exposure to sham stimulation. Each time point includes blocks of the Sternberg task, for a total of 180 trials per session. Each block lasts 10 minutes. | Other | No stimulation |
Primary outcome
Sternberg task
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
During each trial, participants memorize a sequence of eight letters presented sequentially. They are then shown a probe letter displayed in blue and must indicate whether this letter was part of the memorized sequence. Participant performance will be evaluated based on two behavioral measures: accuracy (proportions of correct and incorrect responses) and reaction time in milliseconds.
9 secondary outcomes
EEG Power Outcomes
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
EEG Power Outcomes
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
EEG Power Outcomes
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
EEG Power Outcomes
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
EEG Power Outcomes
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
EEG Signal Regularity Outcomes (RQA)
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
EEG Signal Regularity Outcomes (RQA)
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)
Neuropsychological data
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure)
Neuropsychological data
Time frame: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure)
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 17 Mar 2026.
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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.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Electrical stimulation, Magnetic stimulation and No stimulation in people with Healthy, run by Clinique Beau Soleil.
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 11 inclusion and 0 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. 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?
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?
Sternberg task (time frame: Baseline (Day 1, before exposure), periprocedural (Day 1, during exposure), and post-intervention (Day 1, immediately after exposure)). 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 17 Mar 2026.