How repeated remembering changes visual memory in the brain
The Dynamics of Representational Change Underlying Recall
NA · Brown University · NCT07442266
This trial tries to see if repeatedly recalling images changes how the visual part of the brain represents those images in healthy adults.
Quick facts
| Phase | NA |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 30 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 40 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Brown University (other) |
| Locations | 1 site (Providence, Rhode Island) |
| Trial ID | NCT07442266 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
The study uses fMRI to compare brain activity during repeated memory retrieval against a time-matched control in healthy adults. Each participant completes two MRI sessions: a localizer session (anatomical scans, population receptive field mapping, and a visual category localizer) and an experimental session with perception and recall blocks. Stimuli include both simple spatial patterns and complex natural images, with colored fixation cues indicating which item to recall, and analyses will compare representational structure in visual cortex across conditions. The design isolates changes due to repeated retrieval from changes due to mere passage of time.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal participants are healthy, English-speaking adults aged 18–40 with normal or corrected vision, no neurological or psychiatric diagnosis, and who are eligible for MRI scanning.
Not a fit: People younger than 18 or older than 40, non–English speakers, those with neurological or psychiatric disorders, uncorrected vision problems, metal implants, or claustrophobia would be ineligible and unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal how active remembering reshapes visual memory and help guide future memory-training or treatment strategies.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research shows retrieval practice can strengthen memory and alter neural patterns, but comparing representational changes in visual cortex for simple versus complex images with high-resolution fMRI is a newer, specialized application.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Exclusion Criteria: * Under the age of 18 or over the age of 40 * Does not live in the United States or is not a native speaker of English * Diagnosis of a neurological disorders, a history of head trauma, or diagnosis of psychiatric disorder * Imperfect and uncorrected visual acuity, color blindness, or imperfect hearing * Magnetically or mechanically activated implants or other untested metal implants * Claustrophobia
Where this trial is running
Providence, Rhode Island
- Brown University Magnetic MRI Research Facility — Providence, Rhode Island, United States (RECRUITING)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Serra E Favila, PhD
- Email: serra_favila@brown.edu
- Phone: (401) 863-3486
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions: Episodic Memory