Neural Representations of Memory Transformation (MEM_TRANS)
ConditionHealthy Older Adults
Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot listed
Trial typeObservational
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorMedical University of South Carolina
About this trial
Investigators overarching goal is to provide evidence for the link between altered spatiotemporal (where and when) neural mechanisms and the extent of changed memory maintenance in healthy older adults and to identify potential neural markers of compensatory function (cognitive resource). Investigators preliminary studies suggest that healthy older adults, compared to younger adults, benefit behaviorally from increased coupling between frontal and parietal brain waves when retrieving and updating well-consolidated visuomotor sequence memory via stronger top-down cognitive control of memory maintenance. Thus, Investigators central hypothesis is that the dynamics across cortical and subcortical regions (i.e., spatiotemporal representations) during transitions between different levels of memory stability indicate the efficiency of memory maintenance. The rationale is that while temporal and spatial neural signatures carry distinct mechanistic information, the joint definition of spatial and temporal representations will allow the differentiation of compensatory versus neurodegenerative mechanisms.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Age 18 years or older (80 of the final sample will be ≥60years of age)
Cognitively unimpaired, ambiguous, or mildly impaired cognitive function, defined as a score of ≥18 in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA).
No previous stroke, brain tumor, neurodegenerative disease, or trauma to the head
Ability to give consent for study participation
Disqualifiers
Inability to use both index and middle fingers to type on a standard computer keyboard
Dementia defined as a score of <18 in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA)
Uncorrected vision, hindering perception of visual cues presented on a standard computer screen
Medication use at the time of study that may interfere with learning, including but not limited to carbamazepine, flunarizine, sulpiride, rivastigmine, and dextromethorphan.
Trial population
Healthy volunteers aged18 years or older (80 of the final sample will be ≥60years of age).
Trial design
Design model
Other
Time perspective
Prospective
Treatments tested in this trial
Computer-based visuomotor sequence learning and interference
BehavioralThe behavioral sequence learning and interference paradigm allows the experimental manipulation of sequence memory after long-term consolidation achieved through individualized longitudinal practice and serves the extraction of the primary behavioral outcome. The learning task requires participants to respond with keypresses on a standard computer keyboard of visual targets. Participants will implicitly (without being made aware) learn sequential regularities provided through the recurring order of cued keys contrasted with random keys. Participants will practice the learning task remotely over consecutive days until a stable performance plateau is reached. During this phase, data will be collected online, and behavioral change will be monitored in real time. Then participants will undergo the behavioral interference intervention, in which the initially learned sequence memory will be perturbed through (implicit) exposure to new sequential information (i.e., interference).
Treatment groups
40 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment groupGroup A: behavioral skill learning intervention1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Change in relative performance precision
The primary behavioral outcome parameter is based on the precision of keypresses, i.e., temporal and spatial deviation of pressed from cued keys measured in a single compound measure \[actual precision in %\] serve to describe behavior across retrieval of formerly consolidated and interference with competing new sequential information.
Time frame
60 minutes2
Whole-brain change in time-resolved neural dynamics extracted EEG (temporal representations).
Temporal patterns of brain dynamics derived from electroencephalography and projected into the anatomical source space serve to describe the temporal representations across retrieval of formerly consolidated and interference with competing new sequential information.
Time frame
60 minutes3
Change in blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) derived brain activation patterns (spatial representations)
Change of spatially precise whole-brain blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) signal changes (spatial representations) across retrieval of formerly consolidated and interference with competing new sequential information.
Time frame
60 minutesLocations
Sponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
Medical University of South Carolina
Lead sponsor
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Collaborator
Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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