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Zapping the brain to preserve memory — a precision approach puts it to the test

NCT ID NCT07722598

Symptom relief Sponsor: Boston University Charles River Campus 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 This study
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
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jul 23, 2026 · Last updated Jul 24, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether a noninvasive technique called transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can improve working memory in healthy adults aged 65 and older. The stimulation is personalized to each person's unique brain rhythms and delivered through electrodes on the scalp. Researchers aim to see if this drug-free approach can strengthen the brain networks that support memory.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
personalized transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) tailored to individual brain rhythms
What this could lead to
If it works, this could lead to a drug-free way to sharpen memory in older adults and help delay age-related cognitive decline.
What could go wrong
This is an early-stage trial testing brain stimulation in healthy volunteers; effects may be small or not translate to real-world memory benefits, and individual responses can vary.

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

About 160 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

May 2028

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Jan 2031

An estimate. End dates often move.

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

65 years and older

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: * 65 years of age or older * normal or corrected-to-normal vision * color vision Exclusion Criteria: * pregnant * metal implants in head * implanted electronic devices * history of neurological problems or head injury * skin sensitivity * claustrophobia * dementia (normal Montreal Cognitive Assessment \> 25) * depression (normal Geriatric Depression Scale \< 10) * history of psychosis * cognitive deficits (MoCA\>25) * any psychoactive medication

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As listed by the trial registrant

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

Aging MEMORY Noninvasive brain stimulation

How to take part

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  1. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  2. A doctor treating you

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