How the mediodorsal thalamus supports flexible thinking and decision making
Investigating Mediodorsal Thalamus Representations Underlying Human Cognitive Flexibility
NA · University of Iowa · NCT07217652
This study will test whether the mediodorsal thalamus helps flexible thinking in healthy adults, with implications for people with schizophrenia or ADHD.
Quick facts
| Phase | NA |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 100 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 35 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Iowa (other) |
| Drugs / interventions | radiation |
| Locations | 1 site (Iowa City, Iowa) |
| Trial ID | NCT07217652 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Participants will perform working memory, cognitive control, and decision-making tasks while undergoing high-resolution 7-Tesla fMRI to map mediodorsal thalamus activity. The team will combine behavioral measures with computational models to identify how the thalamus encodes and updates task context and how those signals support generalization. The protocol enrolls adults without neurological or psychiatric diagnoses and applies strict MRI safety and sensory-perception screening. Findings are intended to link circuit-level signals in the human thalamus to cognitive flexibility problems observed in disorders such as schizophrenia and ADHD.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults who are healthy with no history of neurological or psychiatric conditions, fluent in English, with normal vision and color perception, and who meet 7-Tesla MRI safety requirements (no metal implants or contraindications).
Not a fit: People currently diagnosed with schizophrenia or ADHD and those who cannot safely undergo high-field MRI are unlikely to receive direct benefits from participating and may be excluded from enrollment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify brain mechanisms behind cognitive inflexibility and inform future diagnostic tools or targeted interventions for conditions like schizophrenia and ADHD.
How similar studies have performed: Animal recordings and preliminary human fMRI studies have shown that the mediodorsal thalamus tracks task context, but applying high-resolution 7-Tesla imaging combined with formal computational modeling is a relatively new and more detailed approach.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * No history of any neurological, psychiatric, or medical condition that could affect cognition * No use of benzodiazepines, long-acting opioids, or other psychotropic drugs that could alter cognitive performance * Normal or corrected-to-normal vision (visual acuity) * Normal color perception (Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue Test) * Fluent in English * No metal implants (including aneurysm clip, cardiac pacemaker, ICD, IUD, neurostimulation system, spinal cord stimulator, internal electrodes or wires, bone stimulator, ear implant, insulin or other infusion pump or device, prosthesis, artificial or prosthetic limb, shunt, vascular access port or catheter, thermodilution catheter, medication patch, radiation seeds or implants, wire mesh implant, tissue expander, surgical staples or clips or sutures, joint replacement, joint/bone pin/screw/nail/wire/plate, dentures, or non-removable hearing aid) * No exposure to shrapnel or other-related MR contraindications * No non-removable body piercing jewelry * No non-removable makeup * No history of claustrophobia * No history of breathing problems * Not currently pregnant or trying to get pregnant (this will be determined via self report and no records will be kept). Exclusion Criteria: * Has a history of any neurological, psychiatric, or medical condition that could affect cognition * Use of benzodiazepines, long-acting opioids, or other psychotropic drugs that could alter cognitive performance * Not fluent in English * Known metal implants (including aneurysm clip, cardiac pacemaker, ICD, IUD, neurostimulation system, spinal cord stimulator, internal electrodes or wires, bone stimulator, ear implant, insulin or other infusion pump or device, prosthesis, artificial or prosthetic limb, shunt, vascular access port or catheter, thermodilution catheter, medication patch, radiation seeds or implants, wire mesh implant, tissue expander, surgical staples or clips or sutures, joint replacement, joint/bone pin/screw/nail/wire/plate, dentures, or non-removable hearing aid) * History of claustrophobia * Currently pregnant or trying to get pregnant (this will be determined via self report and no records will be kept).
Where this trial is running
Iowa City, Iowa
- The University of Iowa — Iowa City, Iowa, United States (RECRUITING)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Kai Hwang, PhD
- Email: kai-hwang@uiowa.edu
- Phone: 319-335-2406
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: Schizophrenia, Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity, Cognitive control, working memory, decision making