Scientists map the Brain's 'Ad Hoc' programming ability
NCT ID NCT05283811
First seen Jul 06, 2026 · Last updated Jul 07, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study investigates how the brain instantly creates and executes new mental plans without prior practice, a skill called 'ad hoc self-programming.' Researchers will record brain activity from epilepsy patients who already have electrodes implanted for clinical monitoring. Participants perform novel computer tasks while their neural signals are measured, aiming to understand the brain regions involved in flexible thinking.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this research could reveal how the brain flexibly adapts to new situations, potentially informing treatments for cognitive disorders.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational brain-mapping study, not a treatment trial. Findings may not directly translate to therapies.
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
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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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About 205 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jun 2021
- Expected to finish
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Mar 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- 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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10 to 64 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Eligible subjects include both male and female patients, between 10 years of age and 64 years of age, who undergo placement of intracranial electrodes for clinical characterization of epilepsy. Exclusion Criteria: * Grounds for exclusion would include inability to understand and follow instructions, or inability to concentrate sufficiently to achieve a high proportion of correct responses.
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Baylor College of Medicine
RECRUITINGHouston, Texas, 77030, United States
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University of California, Los Angeles
RECRUITINGLos Angeles, California, 90095, United States
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University of Utah
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITINGSalt Lake City, Utah, 84112, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can lavender and lullabies help kids with epilepsy sleep better?
- Reading the Brain's signals to predict who benefits from deep brain stimulation
- Can a Comfort-Focused education program improve life with epilepsy?
- Can video games rewire young brains after injury?
- High-Fat Diet's effect on epilepsy: scientists track brain signals
- Epilepsy drug candidate put to the test in healthy volunteers