Could a zapping cap boost memory? small study tests brain stimulation for cognitive decline
NCT ID NCT06873750
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This pilot study will test whether a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can improve working memory in 30 adults with mild cognitive impairment or traumatic brain injury. Participants will receive low-level electrical currents through electrodes on the scalp, and researchers will measure memory changes using cognitive tests and brain scans. The goal is to see if this approach can safely stabilize memory and improve brain network connectivity.
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) device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a non-invasive, drug-free way to stabilize or improve memory in people with neurodegeneration or brain injury.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study (30 people) with no control group, so results may not be reliable or generalizable. The treatment is still experimental and may not provide lasting 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
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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 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Jun 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Dec 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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25 years and older
- 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: 1. Be at least 25 years of age; 2. Have no contraindications to MRI 3. Have received 8 or more years of formal education 4. Be fluent in English 5. Cohort a. must be followed at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center Cohort a: * Have been diagnosed with a suspected neurodegenerative disorder or traumatic brain injury (TBI) with memory deficits impacting functional status * In case of TBI, cognitive impairment has persisted at least three months post-injury * Received score of 16 or lower on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) Cohort b: * Have no prior diagnosis of a neurodegenerative disorder or post-traumatic brain injury cognitive deficits * Be experiencing healthy aging and be age and sex matched to Cohort a. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Have any contraindications to MRI 2. Be pregnancy 3. Have any major comorbid medical conditions (as determined by investigators - e.g., comorbid neurological diseases, uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes, malignancy) or major comorbid psychiatric conditions (as determined by investigators - e.g., schizophrenia or bipolar disorder)
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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 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.
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