Zapping the brain with electricity may restore aging memory
NCT ID NCT04362696
First seen Jul 23, 2026 · Last updated Jul 24, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial investigates whether a gentle, noninvasive electrical current applied to the scalp can improve working memory in older adults. Researchers aim to restore the coordination of brain rhythms that tends to decline with age. The study compares memory performance in younger adults (ages 18–30) and older adults (ages 60–80) during a memory task, with and without the stimulation.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- high definition transcranial electrical current stimulation (a gentle, noninvasive electrical current applied to the scalp)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a non-drug way to boost memory and thinking skills in older adults.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage, exploratory study focused on understanding brain rhythms, not a proven treatment. The stimulation is temporary and effects may not last or translate to real-world benefits.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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964 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2019
- Finished
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Apr 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion criteria * For Experiment 1, 18-30 years * For Experiment 2, 60-80 years * Normal or corrected-to-normal vision * Has color vision. Exclusion criteria * Metal implants in the head * Implanted electronic devices * A history of neurological problems or head injury * Skin sensitivity * Claustrophobia * Dementia \[Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 23 or lower; Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of \<26) * Depression \[Beck Depression Inventory II score of 14 or higher; Geriatric Depression Scale score of 10 or higher\] * Taking any psychoactive medication
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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111 Cummington Mall Room 264
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.