Exploring how healthy brains process sights and sounds
Official title: Perception, Sensation, Cognition and Action in Humans
Run by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) · NCT03407066 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing how healthy brains understand sights and sounds by having people aged 13-65 complete different tasks while using brain imaging techniques.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 13 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 10200 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) NIH |
| Locations | 2 sites (Bethesda, Maryland and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 26, 2019 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2035 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2035 |
| Registry record updated | October 29, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT03407066 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are healthy individuals aged 13-65 with normal or corrected-to-normal vision and no hearing aid requirements.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with significant hearing impairments or those who do not meet the vision criteria may not benefit from this study.
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 aims to investigate the brain mechanisms underlying perception and cognition in healthy individuals. Participants aged 13-65 will engage in various tasks, including online tests and in-person assessments involving MRI and MEG imaging techniques. The study will explore specific aspects of visual and auditory processing, such as color perception and sound integration, through a series of sub-studies designed to uncover the physiological basis of these behaviors. The research will involve both in-lab and online participation, with a focus on minimal risk methodologies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of sensory processing, potentially leading to improved treatments for sensory-related disorders.
How similar studies have gone: While studies on sensory processing exist, this specific approach utilizing advanced neuroimaging techniques is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
* INCLUSION CRITERIA: Inclusion Criteria for In-lab Participants A subject can be included in the in-lab portion of the study if he/she: * is in good general health; * is between 18 and 65 years old; * has visual acuity of 20/40 in at least one eye (corrected with contact lenses is okay); * has no hearing impairment requiring a hearing aid. * is capable of understanding the procedures and requirements of this study; * is willing and able to provide his/her own informed consent. Inclusion Criteria for On-line Participants A subject can be included in the on-line portion of the study if he/she: * is in good general health; * is between 18 and 65 years old; * is capable of understanding the procedures and requirements of this study; * is willing and able to provide his/her own informed consent. Inclusion Criteria for Genetic Screening/Off-site Participants A subject can be included in the off-site portion of the study if he/she: * is between 13 and 65 years old; * is in general good health; * is capable of understanding the procedures and requirements of this study; * is willing and able to provide his/her own informed consent. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Exclusion Criteria for In-lab Participants A participant is not eligible for participation in the in-lab portion of this study if any of the following exclusion criteria are present, as self-reported by the prospective participant or determined during clinical testing following consent: * Participant is pregnant * Participant has serious vision or hearing problems; for some sub-studies focused on mechanisms of normal color vision, subjects who are colorblind will also be excluded; * Participants without consent capacity will not be enrolled; * Participant has a debilitating neurological disorder (examples include, but are not limited to: brain tumor, epilepsy, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, multiple sclerosis) or a psychiatric disorder (examples include, but are not limited to: schizophrenia, clinical anxiety, severe depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia). Patients with non-debilitating conditions such as prosopagnosia, prosopometamorphosia (PMO), or aphantasia will have their conditions noted but will not be excluded); * Participant has had a serious head injury or has a history of brain surgery. Head injury is defined as an injury to the brain from some external force resulting in loss of consciousness of 30 minutes or more; * Participant has psychoactive drug or alcohol abuse or dependence in the past three months, as determined by the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST), except nicotine and caffeine. A score of 6 or greater on the DAST will be considered exclusionary. The effects of nicotine and caffeine in neuroimaging are attenuated if participants do not smoke or consume caffeine 2-3 hours before the scan session; Over-the-counter medication/herbals will not be a criterion for exclusion; * Participant is an NEI employee within the Perception, Cognition and Action section. Additional Exclusion Criteria for MRI Sub-studies Contraindication to MR scanning include the following: metallic tattoos or metallic eyeliner; claustrophobia; inability to lie still on their back for approximately 2 hours; implanted cardiac pacemaker or auto-defibrillator; surgical aneurysm clips; implanted neural stimulator; artificial heart valves or pumps; metal fragments in cranial cavity, body or eyes (e.g., history as a metal worker); nitroglycerin patch (foil backer); cochlear implants (tubes are okay); weight \> 450 lbs; metal rods, plates, screws in body; shrapnel or bullet wound; intrauterine device (IUD) not approved on mrisafety.com (most IUDs are okay); vestibular or inner ear abnormality such as Meniere's disease; metallic braces; hair extensions attached with metallic wires; transdermal patches; movement disorders; dental implants; consumed of nicotine or caffeine in the two hours prior to the experimental session. Subjects may participate in this study but will not be allowed to have a 7.0 T MRI scan if they have metallic dental crowns or a bridge. Exclusion Criteria for Genetic Screening/Off-site Participants Off-site participation will be biased to participants with XY chromosomes until the genetic sequencing capability changes. We do not limit to just XY patients to provide the possibility of evaluating newer genetic sequencing capacity and because sequencing on XX can provide some information, even if it is not as decisive as on XY patients. Exclusion Criteria for On-line Participants Subjects may not participate in the on-line portion of the study if they: * Do not have access to compatible equipment. For example, smartphone screens are too small to be used. The online platform will outline which devices may be used. * Are unwilling to allow permission for JavaScript to run on the site and disable any script blockers. * Are unwilling to agree to the on-line testing platform's terms and conditions.
Where it's running
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National Eye Institute (NEI)
Bethesda, Maryland, United States Recruiting -
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Bevil R Conway, Ph.D. — National Eye Institute (NEI)
- Study coordinator: Nancy Chen
- Email: nancy.chen@nih.gov
- Phone: (301) 435-1831
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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.