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Ultrasound zaps brain to test memory boost
NCT ID NCT06628193
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study explores whether gentle sound waves aimed at the head can temporarily change brain activity and improve memory. Researchers will use MRI and CT scans to map each participant's brain, then apply low-intensity focused ultrasound or a sham (fake) treatment. Participants will perform memory tasks to see if the ultrasound makes a difference. The goal is to better understand how this noninvasive technique might one day help people with memory loss.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- low-intensity focused ultrasound (device)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a noninvasive way to boost memory, potentially helping people with memory problems.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early, small study focused on understanding brain activity, not treating disease. The effects are temporary and may not translate to real-world memory improvement.
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 80 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Nov 2024
- Expected to finish
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May 2027
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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18 to 65 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.
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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: * Subjects of all ethnicities, who understand and speak English. Exclusion Criteria: * The exclusion criteria below are regularly implemented in MRI, CT, and EEG experiments for the safety of the subjects and for data quality assurance. 1. Claustrophobia (scanning environment may be uncomfortable). 2. Contraindications to MRI: including pacemaker, aneurysm clips, neurostimulators, cochlear implants, metal in eyes, steel worker, or other implants. 3. Contraindications to CT: pregnancy 4. Active medical disorder or treatment with potential CNS effects (e.g. Alzheimer\'s) 5. History of neurologic disorder. (e.g. Parkinson\'s, Epilepsy, or Essential Tremor) 6. History of head injury resulting in loss of consciousness for \>10 minutes. 7. History of alcohol or drug dependence (through self-report).
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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
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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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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Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Roanoke, Virginia, 24016, United States
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