Disrupted gamma rhythms between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus as a cause of memory problems in small vessel disease

Mechanism of Gamma Oscillation Synchronization in the Prefrontal-hippocampal Circuit for Memory Dysfunction in Patients With White Matter Lesions of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

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
• Enrollment: 150 (estimated)
• Ages: 55 Years to 75 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Beijing, Beijing Municipality)
• Trial ID: NCT07042633 on ClinicalTrials.gov

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.

Who should consider this trial

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.

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.

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 performed: 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.

Eligibility 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 this trial is running

Beijing, Beijing Municipality

• Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University — Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China (Recruiting)

Conditions Vascular Cognitive Impairment; White Matter Lesions; Gamma Oscillation