Investigating Accelerated Learning in Healthy Subjects

Not Applicable

Withdrawn

• Conditions: Healthy Adults
• Interventions: Device: tDCS; Behavioral: Verbal paired-associate learning task

• Registration Number: NCT03055884
• Lead Sponsor: The University of Texas at Dallas

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether it is possible to accelerate learning and improve associative memory performance in healthy subjects, by (1) applying transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) during a verbal paired-associate learning task and by (2) optimizing the learning method with repeated retrieval practice.

Detailed Description

Associative memory refers to remembering the association between two items, such as a face and a name or a word in English and the same word in another language. It is not only important for learning, but it is also one of the first aspects of memory performance that is impacted by aging and by Alzheimer׳s disease. For decades, neuroscientists have investigated associative learning and memory and ways to accelerate and enhance associative learning and memory.

Transcranial Direct Current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive and painless electrical stimulation technique that has demonstrated to accelerate learning and improve memory in some studies. Previous research has also emphasized the importance of repeated retrieval practice as a way to accelerate learning and enhance associative memory performance. Therefore, this study will examine the effect of repeated retrieval practice on associative memory performance by using two versions of an associative memory task.

To investigate whether it is possible to accelerate learning and improve associative memory using tDCS and repeated retrieval practice, the performance in a Verbal Paired-Associate memory task during the first visit and 1 week after will be compared for four study groups. The first group will get active tDCS during a version of the verbal paired-associate learning task with repeated retrieval practice. The second group will get active tDCS during a version of the verbal paired-associate learning task without repeated retrieval practice. The third group will get sham tDCS during a version of the verbal paired-associate learning task with repeated retrieval practice and the fourth group will get Sham tDCS during a version of the verbal paired-associate learning task without repeated retrieval practice.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2017-02-13
• Study First Submitted: 2017-02-14
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-02-14
• Study First Posted: 2017-02-16
• Primary Completion: 2020-04-22
• Status Verified: 2021-04
• Study Completion: 2021-12-22
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-01-25
• Last Update Posted: 2022-01-26

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: WITHDRAWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: Not specified

Inclusion Criteria

• Age: 18-35 years
• Native English Speaker

Exclusion Criteria

• History of severe head injuries,epileptic insults, or heart disease
• Severe psychiatric disorders and severe untreated medical problems.
• Acquainted with the foreign language used in the learning task
• Contraindications for tDCS (pregnant women, implanted devices)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
active tDCS with repeated retrieval practice	tDCS	active tDCS with verbal paired-associate learning task with repeated retrieval practice
active tDCS with repeated retrieval practice	Verbal paired-associate learning task	active tDCS with verbal paired-associate learning task with repeated retrieval practice
active tDCS without repeated retrieval practice	Verbal paired-associate learning task	active tDCS with verbal paired-associate learning task without repeated retrieval practice
Sham tDCS with repeated retrieval practice	Verbal paired-associate learning task	sham tDCS with verbal paired-associate learning task with repeated retrieval practice
Sham tDCS without repeated retrieval practice	Verbal paired-associate learning task	shamtDCS with verbal paired-associate learning task without repeated retrieval practice
active tDCS without repeated retrieval practice	tDCS	active tDCS with verbal paired-associate learning task without repeated retrieval practice

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Associative Memory assessed by a Verbal Paired-Associate memory test	baseline and 1 week after the tDCS	Changes in performance in the Verbal Paired-Associate memory task is compared between the 4 groups (1. tDCS+verbal paired-associate learning task with repeated retrieval practice, 2. tDCS + verbal paired-associate learning task without repeated retrieval practice, 3. Sham tDCS+verbal paired-associate learning task with repeated retrieval practice, 4. Sham tDCS + verbal paired-associate learning task without repeated retrieval practice) to investigate the influence of tDCS and learning method on Associative Memory

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

The University of Texas of Dallas; 🇺🇸 Richardson, Texas, United States