An interventional study of Free and Cued Recall Memory. Temporal Sequence and Spatial Memory in Epilepsy and Autobiographical Memory, sponsored by University of Utah. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-04-08.
Sponsored by University of Utah · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
The goal of this observational study is to develop novel methods for integrating multimodal data streams with invasive neural recordings to study autobiographical memory (AM) formation in individuals with implanted neurostimulation devices (e.g., NeuroPace RNS) for epilepsy treatment. The main questions it aims to answer are:
How does the brain encode and retrieve real-world autobiographical memories? Can multimodal data integration enhance our understanding of memory-related cognitive and neural mechanisms?
Participants will:
Researchers will analyze these multimodal data streams to develop new analytic approaches for studying memory formation in naturalistic settings, with the long-term goal of informing neuromodulation-based memory enhancement treatments for individuals with memory disorders.
This observational study aims to develop and validate novel methodologies for integrating multimodal data streams with invasive neural recordings in individuals with implanted neurostimulation devices (e.g., NeuroPace RNS) undergoing treatment for epilepsy. The study focuses on understanding the neural mechanisms underlying autobiographical memory (AM) formation and retrieval in real-world settings. By leveraging real-time, ecologically valid data collection, this research seeks to bridge the gap between controlled laboratory-based memory studies and naturalistic memory processes.
Study Design and Data Collection Participants with implanted neurostimulation devices will use a smartphone-based application (CAPTURE) to log real-world experiences while wearing additional sensors to record behavioral, physiological, and environmental data.
The study integrates multiple data modalities, including:
By synchronizing these data streams, researchers will establish a high-fidelity representation of autobiographical memory encoding and retrieval processes in daily life.
Analytic Methods and Data Integration
This study aims to develop computational frameworks for real-time data alignment and analysis. The primary methodological goals include:
Potential Impact:
The findings from this study have significant implications for neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and clinical applications. By establishing methods for naturalistic neural recording and analysis, this research paves the way for neuromodulation-based memory enhancement therapies for individuals with memory disorders, including those with epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative diseases. The study also advances real-world cognitive neuroscience, enabling a deeper understanding of how the brain supports memory outside of laboratory settings.
1,805 studies on the registry are indexed under Epilepsy; 417 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 50 is close to the median of 50 across 1,206 interventional studies indexed under Epilepsy.
Browse Epilepsy studies →University of Utah is the lead sponsor of 969 studies on the registry; 178 are open to participants now.
Of its 107 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 62 (58%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
Patients with epilepsy who have Neuropace RNS implants who will be surveyed about the neuroethics of real-world multi-modal recordings to assess their attitude toward research data sharing and confidentiality.
Patients with epilepsy who have Neuropace RNS implants, and patients without epilepsy/RNS implants, who will participate in real-world navigation and autobiographical memory tasks in order to evaluate the reliability and signal quality of the multi-modal recording system.
Behavioral: Free and Cued Recall Memory. Temporal Sequence and Spatial Memory
Memory for real-world episodic experiences will be tested in the laboratory first with free recall (spoken narration of their recollections from each environment) and then with cued recall, in which participants will be cued with an event image from the CAPTURE app, a map location, or a relative time and asked to recall the other two non-cued pieces of episodic information (event, place, or time). Because we will know the 'ground truth', the cued recall test will allow us to measure how accurately the participant is able to remember key details of each episode. We will also assess temporal order memory by asking participants to arrange 1st person images in the order in which they occurred, and we will assess spatial memory by asking them to place each image on a schematic map of the venue.
Intracranial EEG power in Theta Band
iEEG power in the theta band between 4-8 Hz, will be assessed to identify the real-world experience features that contribute to changes in this important neural power band for memory encoding.
Time frame: 4 days
Intracranial EEG power in Gamma Band
iEEG power in the gamma band between 30-100 Hz, will be assessed to identify the real-world experience features that contribute to changes in this important neural power band for memory encoding.
Time frame: 4 days
Intracranial EEG normalized aperiodic exponent
This feature of intracranial EEG will be assessed as a broadband state-level change in brain activity during the participant's real-world experiences.
Time frame: 4 days
Eye fixation duration to remembered experiences
Using eye-tracking, we will use the duration in time participants fixate on remembered experiences as a measure of visual attention.
Time frame: 4 days
Questionnaire on Attitudes Regarding Neuroethics
This is a survey for people with responsive neurostimulation (RNS) devices. We ask some general demographic information. Then we will ask questions about how patients feel about the sharing of various types of personal data and how much they care about privacy.
Time frame: Day 1
Plan to share: Undecided
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
University of Utah