Understanding how brain networks support memory in healthy young adults
Official title: Causal Role of Brain Networks in Episodic Memory
Run by Boston College · NCT05374551 · Data updated 2026-05-14
This study is no longer in our active list. It may have stopped recruiting or finished. The details below are as of 2026-05-14 and are kept for reference. Check ClinicalTrials.gov for its current status, or see similar studies below.
This study is testing how changing brain activity with a special technique can help healthy young adults improve their memory and understand how different parts of the brain work together.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 35 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Boston College Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts) |
| Trial ID | NCT05374551 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are healthy young adults aged 18 to 35 who are fluent in English and have normal or corrected vision.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with a history of neurological or psychiatric illnesses, learning disorders, or those on medications that affect seizure thresholds 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 study aims to explore the brain mechanisms involved in episodic memory by using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to influence brain activity in specific regions. Healthy young adults will participate in three sessions, including MRI scans and memory tasks, to assess the effects of TMS on memory performance and brain connectivity. The study will compare stimulation of a targeted brain region with a control region, allowing researchers to draw causal inferences about the role of these areas in memory processes. Randomization and counterbalancing will ensure that each participant experiences different conditions, enhancing the robustness of the findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could provide insights into the neural basis of memory, potentially leading to improved treatments for memory-related conditions.
How similar studies have gone: While the use of TMS in cognitive neuroscience is established, this specific approach to understanding episodic memory through targeted brain stimulation is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Ages 18 to 35 years old * Fluent in English * Free of major neurological or psychiatric illness * Right-handed * Normal or corrected to normal vision Exclusion Criteria: * History of a psychiatric illness within the past two years * History of a learning disorder (e.g., attention deficit disorder, dyslexia) * History of neurological disorder or brain injury, including family history of epilepsy, convulsions or seizures, stroke; vascular, traumatic, tumoral, infectious, or metabolic lesion of the brain, even without a history of seizure, and without anticonvulsant medication, and any unexplained lifetime loss of consciousness/syncope * Use of medications that reduce seizure threshold (e.g., tricyclic antidepressants, neuroleptic agents) * History of neurosurgery * History of heart disease * Recreational drug use in the past two months * Uncontrollable shaking, or inability to sit/lie still for one hour * Evidence of neurological disorders or structural abnormalities, based on MRI * Pregnancy * Prior surgeries, conditions, and/or implants that are not MRI-safe, including: pacemaker, pacemaker wires, artificial heart valve, brain aneurysm surgery, middle ear implant, non-removable hearing aids, braces, or extensive dental work, implanted mechanical or electrical device, artificial limb or joint * Foreign metallic objects in the body, such as bullets, BBs, shrapnel, or metalwork fragments * History of metal work or ocular metallic foreign bodies * History of uncontrolled migraines or susceptibility to headaches * Use of centrally-acting medications and drugs, with the exception of caffeine, within the last 12 hours * Concurrent treatment with ototoxic medications * Current sleep deprivation, extreme fatigue, or recent jet lag * Claustrophobia * Pre-existing noise induced hearing loss * Any prior adverse experience (e.g. physical or psychological discomfort) with repetitive TMS or MRI scanning
Where it's running
-
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Maureen Ritchey, PhD
- Email: maureen.ritchey@bc.edu
- Phone: 617-552-4779
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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.