An interventional study of High definition transcranial electrical current stimulation in Memory Disorders in Old Age, sponsored by Boston University Charles River Campus. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-23.
Sponsored by Boston University Charles River Campus · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
The research program will evaluate the theoretical claim that age-related memory and cognitive decline in humans result from the inefficient orchestration of rhythmic activity within large-scale cortical networks. The results will contribute to the basic science groundwork for developing future non-pharmacological interventions aimed at boosting memory and cognition in aging and clinical populations.
The investigators hypothesize that aged-related memory and cognitive impairments emerge from large-scale functional dysconnectivity and by stimulating the brain noninvasively with extremely weak levels of electrical current, it may be possible to re-synchronize connectivity and stabilize or improve memory and cognitive function, measured behaviorally. The experiments of this project are proposed as between-subjects, sham-controlled, and double-blind in design, and use noninvasive electroencephalographic (EEG) measurements of rhythmic brain activity. The experimental intervention involves the application of low-intensity, high-definition, transcranial electrical current stimulation while subjects perform a variety of computer-based tasks that probe memory and cognitive function.
3,843 studies on the registry are indexed under Cognitive Dysfunction; 1,100 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 964 is above the median of 65 across 2,808 interventional studies indexed under Cognitive Dysfunction.
Browse Cognitive Dysfunction studies →Boston University Charles River Campus is the lead sponsor of 154 studies on the registry; 30 are open to participants now.
Of its 14 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 8 (57%) have results posted.
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Exclusion criteria
Device: High definition transcranial electrical current stimulation
Device: High definition transcranial electrical current stimulation
Low-intensity and safe, noninvasive application of electrical current to the human scalp with the goal of gradually modulating levels of neuronal excitability.
Memory performance success (sham stimulation condition)
The accuracy of task performance (in percentage correct units) in the delayed-match-to-sample working memory paradigm
Time frame: During sham intervention
Memory performance success (active stimulation condition)
The accuracy of task performance (in percentage correct unit) in the delayed-match-to-sample working memory paradigm
Time frame: During active intervention
Memory performance speed (sham stimulation condition)
The reaction time of task performance (in millisecond units) in the delayed-match-to-sample working memory paradigm
Time frame: During sham intervention
Memory performance speed (active stimulation condition)
The reaction time of task performance (in millisecond units) in the delayed-match-to-sample working memory paradigm
Time frame: During active intervention
Plan to share: No
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This study is completed, as verified in Jul 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Boston University Charles River Campus