How the brain simulates future moves during multi-step planning
Official title: Identifying the Neural Correlates of Mental Simulation in Multi-Step Planning
Run by New York University · NCT07293637 · Data updated 2026-11-12
We will test whether healthy adults mentally simulate promising future move sequences while planning in a Four-in-a-Row game using brain recordings and eye tracking.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 64 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 50 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | New York University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (New York, New York) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | July 10, 2025 |
| Main results expected | March 2026 |
| Study ends | December 2026 |
| Registry record updated | January 8, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07293637 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Healthy adults without a history of neurological or psychiatric illness who can complete an online session and travel to New York University for an in-person brain-recording session on consecutive days.
✕Probably not a fit
People with a history of neurological or psychiatric illness or those unable to attend the in-person session in New York City are not eligible and are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participation.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This research uses a two-session design to link behavior, computational models, and brain recordings. On day one, healthy adults complete an online training session playing Four-in-a-Row to provide behavioral data used to fit participant-specific planning models. On day two, participants attend an in-person neuroimaging session at NYU (MEG or fMRI) with simultaneous eye tracking while evaluating mid-game board positions within a fixed decision window. Analyses will use model-derived measures of simulated future states and values to determine where (fMRI) and when (MEG) the brain represents planning-related information.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could clarify how planning works in the brain and guide future treatments or diagnostics for disorders that impair decision-making.
How similar studies have gone: Prior fMRI and MEG studies using computational models have identified neural signatures of planning, but combining MEG and fMRI with eye tracking in a Four-in-a-Row tree-search task is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * N/A Exclusion Criteria: * History of neurological or psychiatric illness * Vulnerable populations
Where it's running
-
New York University
New York, New York, United States 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.