NCT07008989 A VIRTUAL Three-month Intervention Study of the Effects of a Smartphone Application (HippoCamera) on Memory in Teens and Young Adults With Down Syndrome
| NCT ID | NCT07008989 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | Boston College |
| Condition | Memory Replay |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 40 participants |
| Start Date | 2025-06-01 |
| Primary Completion | 2026-12-31 |
Eligibility & Interventions
Eligibility Fast-Check
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What to Expect as a Participant
You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.
This trial targets 40 participants in total. It began in 2025-06-01 with a primary completion date of 2026-12-31.
⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.
Brief Summary
Down syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality associated with significant deficits across multiple cognitive domains, including a disproportionate deficit in hippocampally-dependent memory. In other words, individuals with Down syndrome may have a particular difficulty remembering specific details from past events. One way this manifests itself is in overgeneral autobiographical memory, or a tendency to remember the general gist of an event or cluster of events, rather than a single, isolated event. This overgeneral memory makes it difficult for individuals with Down syndrome to access their past, can interfere with attempts to becoming more independent, and increases anxiety and depression. In the current VIRTUAL study, the investigators test whether a new digital memory prosthetic-HippoCamera-can enhance specific autobiographical memory in individuals with Down syndrome. In HippoCamera, users are asked to record and replay events from their daily lives. This replay is curated by a research-based algorithm in HippoCamera that optimizes consolidation of these events over time and has been shown to enhance memory specificity in other populations with memory impairments, particularly those that stem from hippocampal disfunction. It is, therefore, likely that similar enhancements in autobiographical memory specificity will be identified in individuals with Down syndrome, highlighting the benefits of this applications in this population.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of Down syndrome * Daily access to a smart phone * The ability to create and replay memories using HippoCamera with limited support from a guardian * Informed consent obtained from parent or guardian (or participant, if legally independent) * Informed verbal assent obtained from participant * Ability to comprehend instructions, denoted by parent/guardian acknowledgment * English as a primary written and spoken language * Normal or corrected-to-normal vision and hearing * All races/ethnicities and socio-economic statuses Exclusion Criteria: * Autism * Non-native speaker of English (acquired after the age of 5)
Contact & Investigator
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT07008989 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 15 Years or older, up to 35 Years, studying Memory Replay. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
Is NCT07008989 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT07008989 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at jaclyn.ford@bc.edu for enrollment information.
Where is the NCT07008989 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at Chestnut Hill, United States.
Who is sponsoring the NCT07008989 clinical trial?
NCT07008989 is sponsored by Boston College. The trial plans to enroll 40 participants.