How sleep affects visual orientation learning and where it happens in the brain
Generalization and Specificity of Visual Learning During Sleep
We will see if taking a nap inside an MRI helps the brains of healthy adults aged 18–30 strengthen visual orientation skills.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 10 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 30 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Brown University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Providence, Rhode Island) |
| Trial ID | NCT07015840 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This pilot uses MRI combined with polysomnography to record localized brain activity while participants nap after visual orientation training. Ten healthy adults will complete six visits including behavioral pretests, construction of an orientation decoder, an adaptation nap, a baseline nap, a training session with a posttraining nap, and a posttest. The team will use the decoder to estimate which orientations are represented in specific brain regions during sleep and compare performance before and after training. The protocol is designed to provide spatiotemporal detail about sleep-related processing that may underlie perceptual learning.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Healthy adults aged 18–30 with normal or corrected-to-normal vision who can nap in an MRI and have no history of sleep or eye disorders are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with sleep disorders, visual/eye diseases, magnetically or mechanically activated implants, intrauterine devices, dentures, or who are pregnant would not be eligible and would not benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could clarify how sleep helps lock in visual learning and guide ways to improve training outcomes using sleep-based approaches.
How similar studies have performed: Previous behavioral and sleep research has shown that sleep can boost perceptual learning, but applying MRI+PSG to map feature- and location-specific representations during sleep is a novel, pilot approach.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 18 - 30 years old * Normal or corrected to normal visual acuity Exclusion Criteria: * Self-report of visual and eye disorders (cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma) * Drug use (psychoactive drugs, neuroleptic medications, prescription medications that might affect cognitive and motor performance) * History of sleep disorders (sleep apnea, insomnia) * Failure to meet the criteria on the visual acuity test * Magnetically or mechanically activated implants (such as cardiac pacemakers) * Clips on blood vessels in the brain * Use of any type of intrauterine devices * Use of dentures * Pregnancy
Where this trial is running
Providence, Rhode Island
- Brown University — Providence, Rhode Island, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Professor, PHD
- Email: yuka_sasaki@brown.edu
- Phone: 401-863-5379
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.