Disrupted gamma rhythms between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus as a cause of memory problems in small vessel disease
Official title: Mechanism of Gamma Oscillation Synchronization in the Prefrontal-hippocampal Circuit for Memory Dysfunction in Patients With White Matter Lesions of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease
Run by Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing · NCT07042633 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tries to see if white matter damage from small vessel disease changes gamma brain rhythms between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus and leads to memory problems in people with normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 55 Years to 75 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 150 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Beijing, Beijing Municipality) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 7, 2024 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | June 29, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07042633 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults with cerebral small vessel disease who have normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment and who can complete demographic, neuropsychological, imaging, and EEG assessments are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with severe aphasia or physical disability, recent stroke with lasting neurological deficits, other neurological or systemic disorders causing cognitive impairment, substance abuse, or major psychiatric illness are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This observational study will use an established episodic memory task combined with event-related potentials to measure changes in gamma oscillations in the prefrontal–hippocampal circuit during memory encoding and retrieval. Participants will undergo multimodal imaging to characterize white matter microstructure and EEG to record gamma synchrony, and the team will examine whether microstructural changes mediate the relationship between white matter lesions and memory performance. The project will also develop a machine-learning prediction model linking imaging and EEG features to memory outcomes. Findings aim to clarify a mechanistic pathway rather than test a new treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could identify measurable brain signals that link white matter damage to memory decline, helping earlier diagnosis and guiding future targeted interventions.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal and human work supports that white matter damage can alter long-range gamma synchrony, but combining EEG, multimodal imaging, and machine-learning prediction in this specific population remains relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * \- Individuals with cerebral small vessel disease, normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment subjects; * Participants with complete demographic data, neuropsychiatric scale assessments, imaging data, and EEG data. Exclusion Criteria: * Severe aphasia, physical disability, or other conditions preventing completion of neuropsychological assessments; * History of cerebrovascular stroke with documented neurological deficits during onset and corresponding lesions on neuroimaging; * Neurological disorders that may cause cognitive impairment, including alcohol abuse, drug addiction, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, encephalitis, or normal-pressure hydrocephalus; * Systemic diseases potentially contributing to mild cognitive impairment (e.g., hepatic/renal insufficiency, endocrine disorders, vitamin deficiencies); * Current diagnosis of major depressive disorder or psychiatric disorders.
Where it's running
-
Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University
Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China Recruiting
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.