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Effects of Gamma-tACS on Memory and Sleep

NCT05907707 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 11

Last updated 2025-04-02

Study results available
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Summary

The purpose of this clinical trial is to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of non-invasive transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at gamma frequency in enhancing memory recall and modulating sleep network dynamics measured by at-home electroencephalography (EEG) in healthy elderly people. Eligible participants will first collect sleep EEG at home for one night to acclimate to the data collection during sleep. Participants are then randomized into first undergoing either tACS at gamma band frequencies (i.e. 40Hz) or tACS at a control frequency (i.e. 21Hz). Stimulation is administered in the lab during a cognitive testing battery that includes memorizing items. After a night of sleep with EEG at home, participants return to the lab the following day to measure memory recall. Recall is performed again after five days. This sequence of encoding during stimulation in the lab, sleep EEG at home for one night, and recall is then repeated for the other stimulation condition about a week later. Participants are wearing an actigraphy wristband throughout the study period.

Conditions

Interventions

DEVICE

Gamma transcranial alternating current stimulation

tACS (gamma frequency, 40Hz) during cognitive testing (about 40 minutes duration).

DEVICE

Control transcranial alternating current stimulation

tACS (control frequency, 21Hz) during cognitive testing (about 40 minutes duration).

DEVICE

EEG headband

At-home, ambulatory, single-channel EEG headband which records brain activity during sleep

DEVICE

Actigraphy wristband

At-home, ambulatory, wrist-worn accelerometer which records levels of motor activity during the whole day

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Flavio Frohlich, PhD · University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
50 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2023-06-28
Primary Completion
2023-12-28
Completion
2023-12-28
FDA Device
Yes

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT05907707 on ClinicalTrials.gov