NCT05907707

Effects of Gamma-tACS on Memory and Sleep

Effects of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) at Gamma Band Frequencies on Memory Recall and Sleep in Healthy Elderly Participants

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 11 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 50 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

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

• Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation
• Aging
• Cognitive Decline
• Memory
• Sleep

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
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

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-06-28
• Primary completion: 2023-12-28
• Completion: 2023-12-28
• First posted: 2023-06-18
• Last updated: 2025-04-02
• Results posted: 2024-12-18

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated device study