Home sleep therapy to support memory in mild cognitive impairment
Home Sleep Therapy System for Mild Cognitive Impairment
A wearable home system that monitors sleep and delivers gentle electrical brain stimulation to help people with mild memory problems sleep deeper and support memory.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brain Electrophysiology Laboratory Company, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Eugene, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11092113 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would wear a simple Bluetooth headband at night that records brain waves and delivers gentle transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) during deep sleep. A bedside nanocomputer analyzes your sleep with machine learning and connects to cloud services for data review, memory tests, and reports for you and your doctor. The project implements and tests the full NEST system in the home so researchers can refine stimulation patterns and track sleep quality and memory over time. The aim is to provide an easy, cost-effective way to monitor and improve deep (stage N3) sleep in people with mild cognitive impairment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with mild cognitive impairment or early memory problems who can consent, use a wearable at home, and complete remote or occasional clinic memory testing are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with advanced Alzheimer's or severe cognitive impairment, certain implanted electrical devices (e.g., pacemakers), or unstable medical conditions may not be suitable or likely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the device could improve deep sleep, support memory consolidation, and potentially slow progression toward Alzheimer's by helping clear toxic proteins.
How similar studies have performed: Small clinical studies of night-time brain stimulation have shown promising improvements in slow-wave sleep and memory, but large home-based trials are still limited.
Where this research is happening
Eugene, United States
- Brain Electrophysiology Laboratory Company, LLC — Eugene, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tucker, Don M — Brain Electrophysiology Laboratory Company, LLC
- Study coordinator: Tucker, Don M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.