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Can a gentle electric current supercharge your memory?

NCT ID NCT05399381

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: University of Minnesota Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 20, 2026 · Last updated Aug 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study explores whether a non-invasive technique called transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can enhance working memory—the ability to hold and use information in the short term. Healthy adults aged 18 to 45 will perform memory tasks while receiving either real or sham stimulation to see if the electrical currents improve accuracy and speed. The goal is to understand if this approach could one day help people with cognitive difficulties.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), a non-invasive device that delivers gentle electrical currents to the brain
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a non-invasive way to sharpen memory and thinking, potentially helping people with cognitive decline.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study in healthy adults, so results may not apply to people with memory problems. Brain stimulation can cause mild discomfort or tingling.

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

34 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Sep 2022

Finished

Feb 2025

Lead sponsor

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

18 to 45 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show 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: 1. Age between 18 and 45 years old. 2. Confident level of English language. Exclusion Criteria: 1. History or evidence of chronic neurological or mental disorder. 2. Metal or electric implant in the head, neck, or chest area. 3. History of head injuries with loss of consciousness. 4. Any acute or chronic medical condition that requires ongoing pharmacological treatment. 5. Pregnancy or breast-feeding. 6. Alcohol or drug addiction.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Working memory

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Minnesota

    Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, United States

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