Completed

High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Impact on Associative Memory during Slow-wave Sleep

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Study Aim

This study uses high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation to examine its impact on associative memory during slow-wave sleep in healthy adults.

What is being tested

high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS)

+ sham high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS)

Device
Who is being recruted

From 18 to 30 Years
+6 Eligibility Criteria
See all eligibility criteria
How is the trial designed

Services Research Study

Placebo-Controlled
Interventional
Study Start: January 2022
See protocol details

Summary

Principal SponsorWANG KAI
Last updated: January 28, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Study start date: January 12, 2022

Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.

This study aims to explore how stimulating the brain during sleep might improve memory in healthy adults. Participants are divided into three groups: one that will receive brain stimulation during deep sleep, one that will take a nap without real stimulation, and another that will receive stimulation while awake. The device used is called high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS), and it targets a specific brain area linked to memory. This research is important because it could lead to new ways to enhance memory, which might be beneficial for learning and cognitive health. Participants will have electrodes placed on their scalp, specifically targeting the left side of the brain, as well as other areas for the stimulation process. They will perform memory tasks like the face-word associative memory task before and after the nap or wake period to assess any changes in memory performance. The study will evaluate the effects of both real and placebo (sham) stimulation to determine its true impact. There are no specific risks mentioned, but the study helps in understanding how safe and effective this brain stimulation is for improving memory.

Official TitleEffects of High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation During Slow-wave Sleep on Associative Memory
NCT07063264
Principal SponsorWANG KAI
Last updated: January 28, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
Design Details

87 patients to be enrolled

Total number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.

Services Research Study

These studies look at how healthcare is delivered, managed, and organized. They aim to improve care quality, patient experience, and access to treatment.

Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Criteria

Any sex

Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.

From 18 to 30 Years

Range of ages for which participants are eligible to join.

Healthy volunteers allowed

If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.

Criteria

2 inclusion criteria required to participate
aged 18-30 years
healthy adults
4 exclusion criteria prevent from participating
with pacemakers, skull cavities or cracks；
intolerance of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) adverse reactions；
left-handed；
diagnosed with severe mental disorders, or involved in other experiments.

Study Plan

Find out more about all the medication administered in this study, their detailed description and what they involve.
Treatment Groups
Study Objectives

3 intervention groups are designated in this study

66.667% chance of being blinded to the placebo group

Treatment Groups

Group I

Active Comparator
Participants will receive active anode HD-tDCS during slow-wave sleep (SWS) of non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) at afternoon nap. An anode stimulation electrode will be placed in F3 (10/20 system) which intended to target the left DLPFC, and four cathodes will be placed at FCz, AFz, F7, and C5 (10/20 system)

Group II

Sham
Participants will receive active anode HD-tDCS during wakefulness. They will receive HD-tDCS stimulation for 25 minutes while awake, then spent free time in the sleep monitoring room, remaining awake throughout the napping period

Group III

Placebo
Participants will receive afternoon nap with sham stimulation. A 30-s rising current until 2 mA is reached, with a 30-s decline immediately at the beginning and end of the stimulation section

Study Objectives

Primary Objectives

Secondary Objectives

Study Centers

These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.

This study has 1 location

Suspended

Anhui Medical University

Hefei, ChinaOpen Anhui Medical University in Google Maps
CompletedOne Study Center