Electrical Nerve Stimulation During Sleep for Memory Consolidation (NCT07658274) | Clinical Trial Compass
RecruitingNot Applicable
Electrical Nerve Stimulation During Sleep for Memory Consolidation
China30 participantsStarted 2026-06-16
Plain-language summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (eTNS) applied during sleep on memory consolidation and brain-body physiological coupling. Healthy college students will participate in four overnight sleep sessions in a standard sleep laboratory.
Before going to sleep, participants will learn and complete two cognitive tasks: a motor sequence tapping task to assess procedural memory, and an N-back task to assess working memory. During the night, participants will receive either 2 Hz eTNS, 120 Hz eTNS, or a sham (placebo) stimulation on their forehead in a randomized order. Throughout the night, researchers will record their sleep using polysomnography (PSG), along with continuous monitoring of heart rate (ECG) and breathing (respiration). Upon waking the next morning, participants will be re-tested on both memory tasks.
The primary objective is to determine whether eTNS during sleep can improve behavioral performance on procedural and working memory tasks overnight. Secondary objectives include analyzing the stimulation's effects on specific sleep brain wave patterns (such as slow oscillations and sleep spindles) and exploring the coupling mechanisms between brain activity, heart rhythms (Heartbeat Evoked Potentials), and respiration during sleep.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 35 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. Healthy young adults (e.g., college students), aged generally between 18 and 30 years.
. Right-handed.
. Body Mass Index (BMI) ≤ 30 kg/m\^2.
. Capable of fully comprehending the experimental procedures and voluntarily signing the informed consent form.
Exclusion criteria
. History or current presence of neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders, or brain damage.
. History or current presence of cardiovascular diseases (e.g., arrhythmias or abnormal nocturnal heart rate).
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Change in Procedural Memory Performance
Timeframe: Assessed pre-sleep (approx. 21:00-22:00) and post-sleep (approx. 07:00-08:00 the following morning), representing an overnight interval of approximately 10 hours.
. Presence of depressive or anxiety symptoms (assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 \[PHQ-9\] score \> 9, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 \[GAD-7\] score \> 9).
. Presence of sleep disturbances or poor sleep quality (assessed by Insomnia Severity Index \[ISI\] score \> 8, or Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index \[PSQI\] score \> 10).
. Any medication use within the past six months that could affect stress responses, cognitive abilities, or sleep architecture.
. History of smoking or alcohol abuse.
. Known skin allergies to conductive paste, medical tape, or silicone electrodes.
. Female participants who are in their menstrual period during the scheduled experimental sessions (sessions must be strategically scheduled to avoid this period).