An interventional study of transcranial electrical stimulation and Mindfulness Meditation in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), sponsored by University of Texas at Austin. Recruiting at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 90 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-27.
Sponsored by University of Texas at Austin · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Cognitive reserve refers to the brain's ability to maintain cognitive performance despite age-related changes or neuropathology. Enhancing cognitive reserve is thought to delay cognitive decline and improve functional outcomes in aging and neurodegenerative conditions. Attention and memory-related neural processes are considered key contributors to cognitive reserve, yet it remains unclear whether these neural markers can be deliberately strengthened through targeted training and non-invasive interventions.
The goal of this clinical study is to investigate whether mindfulness-based meditation and non-invasive brain stimulation can enhance neural markers of attention and memory that serve as proxies for cognitive reserve in cognitively healthy adults and older adults diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Investigators hypothesize that strengthening these neural markers will lead to measurable improvements in cognitive reserve-related functions in both healthy aging and MCI populations.
This study further hypothesizes that neural markers of attention can be selectively enhanced using an electroencephalography (EEG)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) combined with non-invasive interventions such as mindfulness-based relaxation or neuromodulation. During the study, participants will perform a computerized memory task while their EEG signals are recorded in real time. A BCI will analyze these signals to decode the presence or absence of the P300 event-related potential, a well-established neural marker of attentional control and cognitive resource allocation. Real-time feedback and intervention will be used to modulate these neural processes with the goal of promoting adaptive changes in attention-related brain activity.
By integrating EEG-based decoding, behavioral training, and non-invasive interventions, this study aims to determine whether targeted modulation of attention-related neural activity can support cognitive reserve in aging and mild cognitive impairment.
3,872 studies on the registry are indexed under Cognitive Dysfunction; 1,119 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 100 is above the median of 64 across 2,794 interventional studies indexed under Cognitive Dysfunction.
Browse Cognitive Dysfunction studies →University of Texas at Austin is the lead sponsor of 328 studies on the registry; 79 are open to participants now.
Of its 10 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 5 (50%) have results posted.
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Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Subjects complete an nback task after a meditation intervention in which ground truth visual feedback is provided at the end of each run.
Behavioral: Mindfulness Meditation
Subjects complete an nback task after a tACS intervention in which ground truth visual feedback is provided at the end of each run.
Device: transcranial electrical stimulation
Subjects complete an nback task in which EEG-based visual feedback is provided after each trial
Behavioral: Mindfulness Meditation
Subjects complete an nback task in which EEG-based visual feedback is provided after each trial
Device: transcranial electrical stimulation
tACS is delivered as a pre-task neuromodulatory intervention intended to prime neural activity before cognitive assessment. Electroencephalography (EEG) signals will be recorded from subjects as they perform nback tasks. The neural correlates of attention will be processed and decoded in real-time using machine learning algorithms to provide feedback. Subjects are instructed to assume a mental state/find a strategy to maximise the accuracy of feedback. In total, each subject will complete 5 sessions of nback training with this intervention.
Also known as: tACS
A relaxation protocol based on mindfulness meditation will be carried out. This consists of closing the eyes and focusing on breathing and relaxing for a period of 5 minutes. Electroencephalography (EEG) signals will be recorded from subjects as they perform nback tasks. The neural correlates of attention will be processed and decoded in real-time using machine learning algorithms to provide feedback. Subjects are instructed to assume a mental state/find a strategy to maximise the accuracy of feedback. In total, each subject will complete 5 sessions of nback training with this intervention
Also known as: Relaxation, Meditation
Change in neural correlates of attention across different intervention sessions
This outcome measures whether neural correlates of attentional markers (e.g. amplitude, peak-to-peak, band power and connectivity measures of neural correlates) change across sessions as a result of intervention.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study after 3 days (young adults) or 8 days (older adults)
Change in correct answer rate of memory task across intervention sessions
The correct answer rate per nback run reflects the improvements in attentional and memory skills across the two conditions. It measures the percentage of each trial memorized correctly. The score is 0-50, and the higher the value, the better the outcome.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study after 3 days (young adults) or 8 days (older adults)
Plan to share: Yes — All data will be made available by the online publication date. These data will be placed in public servers for any interested researcher to access it.
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