Health TrialsbyHealthPanel

Modulation of Brain Oscillations Underlying Working Memory

ConditionWorking Memory
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-35
SponsorMassachusetts General Hospital

About this trial

This study will use novel transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) protocols and electroencephalography (EEG) to modulate and measure brain oscillations that underlie working memory. tACS is a noninvasive method used to modulate the timing and patterns of brain rhythms via weak electric currents passed through electrodes on the scalp.

Eligibility criteria

This trial accepts healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Able to provide informed consent

Fluent in English.

Disqualifiers

History of a neurological/psychiatric disorder

Current use of psychotropic medications

Current use of substances and drugs that were shown to affect tES (transcranial electrical stimulation) efficacy (dopamine altering drugs, nicotine, NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) antagonists/agonists, sodium/calcium channel blockers, norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, GABAergic modulators and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)

Contraindications for tACS (e.g., history of seizures, metallic implants in the head or neck, implanted brain stimulators, vagus nerve stimulators, pacemakers, pregnancy)

Trial design

Design model

Crossover

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Active tACS

    Device

    Active tACS will be administered over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for approximately 25 minutes.

  • Placebo tACS

    Device

    Placebo tACS will be administered over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for approximately 25 minutes.

Treatment groups

32 Participants
are divided into 4 treatment groups
Group A: Theta-nested gamma tACS applied during passive task epochsExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Theta-nested gamma tACS applied during memory delaysExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group C: Gamma tACS applied during memory delaysExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group D: Placebo tACS applied during task performancePlacebo comparator 1 intervention

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Working memory accuracy

Accuracy of working memory retrieval during a Delayed Match-to-Sample task will be assessed before and during tACS interventions

Time frame
2 hours
2

Working memory accuracy under interference

Accuracy of working memory retrieval during interference conditions of a Delayed Match-to-Sample task will be assessed before and during tACS interventions.

Time frame
2 hours
3

Theta-gamma cross-frequency coupling

Cross-frequency coupling between theta band phase and gamma band amplitude will be calculated using the EEG data collected while subjects perform the Delayed Match-to-Sample task before and after tACS interventions.

Time frame
2 hours
4

Fronto-parietal theta phase synchronization

Phase synchronization in the theta band between frontal and parietal brain regions will be calculated using the EEG data collected while subjects perform the Delayed Match-to-Sample task before and after the tACS interventions.

Time frame
2 hours

Secondary outcomes

Other outcomes

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

Massachusetts General Hospital

Lead sponsor

Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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