NCT07658274 Electrical Nerve Stimulation During Sleep for Memory Consolidation
| NCT ID | NCT07658274 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | Xidian University |
| Condition | Healthy Volunteers (HV) |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 30 participants |
| Start Date | 2026-06-16 |
| Primary Completion | 2026-07-30 |
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 30 participants in total. It began in 2026-06-16 with a primary completion date of 2026-07-30.
⚠ 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
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (eTNS) applied during sleep on memory consolidation and brain-body physiological coupling. Healthy college students will participate in four overnight sleep sessions in a standard sleep laboratory. Before going to sleep, participants will learn and complete two cognitive tasks: a motor sequence tapping task to assess procedural memory, and an N-back task to assess working memory. During the night, participants will receive either 2 Hz eTNS, 120 Hz eTNS, or a sham (placebo) stimulation on their forehead in a randomized order. Throughout the night, researchers will record their sleep using polysomnography (PSG), along with continuous monitoring of heart rate (ECG) and breathing (respiration). Upon waking the next morning, participants will be re-tested on both memory tasks. The primary objective is to determine whether eTNS during sleep can improve behavioral performance on procedural and working memory tasks overnight. Secondary objectives include analyzing the stimulation's effects on specific sleep brain wave patterns (such as slow oscillations and sleep spindles) and exploring the coupling mechanisms between brain activity, heart rhythms (Heartbeat Evoked Potentials), and respiration during sleep.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Healthy young adults (e.g., college students), aged generally between 18 and 30 years. 2. Right-handed. 3. Body Mass Index (BMI) ≤ 30 kg/m\^2. 4. Capable of fully comprehending the experimental procedures and voluntarily signing the informed consent form. Exclusion Criteria: 1. History or current presence of neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders, or brain damage. 2. History or current presence of cardiovascular diseases (e.g., arrhythmias or abnormal nocturnal heart rate). 3. Presence of depressive or anxiety symptoms (assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 \[PHQ-9\] score \> 9, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 \[GAD-7\] score \> 9). 4. Presence of sleep disturbances or poor sleep quality (assessed by Insomnia Severity Index \[ISI\] score \> 8, or Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index \[PSQI\] score \> 10). 5. Any medication use within the past six months that could affect stress responses, cognitive abilities, or sleep architecture. 6. History of smoking or alcohol abuse. 7. Known skin allergies to conductive paste, medical tape, or silicone electrodes. 8. Female participants who are in their menstrual period during the scheduled experimental sessions (sessions must be strategically scheduled to avoid this period). 9. Inability or refusal to abstain from caffeine, tea, and alcohol for at least 24 hours prior to and during the experimental sessions.
Contact & Investigator
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT07658274 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, up to 35 Years, studying Healthy Volunteers (HV). Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
Is NCT07658274 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT07658274 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at xjyang@xidian.edu.cn for enrollment information.
Where is the NCT07658274 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at Xi'an, China.
Who is sponsoring the NCT07658274 clinical trial?
NCT07658274 is sponsored by Xidian University. The trial plans to enroll 30 participants.