fMRI Study of the Cerebal Bases of the Spatialization Process in Working Memory (IRMF-SPAT)

December 17, 2024 updated by: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice

fMRI Study of the Cerebal Bases of the Spatialization Process in Working Memory in Young Healthy Adults

The present neuroimaging study investigates cerebral and behavioral markers of spatialization. Spatialization in memory corresponds to a mental representation of successive items from left to right in Westerners. A simple task to detect spatialization consists in presenting a series of stimuli sequentially. All stimuli are centered on the screen, so there is no spatial information during the task. After the presentation of the sequence, there is a recognition phase in which the participant is requested to take a decision as to whether a memory probe belongs to the sequence maintained in memory. The decision is made by pressing a key with the left or the right hand, depending on the instruction. The main measure is the difference in response times between the two hands. The standard spatialization effect in working memory in Westerners is that left-key responses are faster when retrieving the first items of the sequence whereas later items elicit faster right-key responses. To date, the factors that can influence this spatialization process in working memory as well as the brain structures involved remain largely unknown. Participants need to complete three experimental conditions associated with fMRI recording of brain activity. In task A (Visual Spatial), participants will see the sequences presented from left to right; in task B (Visual No Spatial), participants will see sequences of items presented in the middle of the screen; and in task C (Auditory), the sequences will be presented in an auditory format. When comparing tasks, A and B, we will be able to investigate if seeing information from left to right (spatialization is provided through the spatial coordinates of the items) is comparable to spatializing information from left to right (spatialization is not provided, all items have the same spatial coordinates). The comparison between task B and C will allow us to investigate the effect of seeing items (spatialization is not provided, all items have the same spatial coordinates) versus hearing them (spatialization is not provided and items have no spatial coordinates).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
50

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • France
      • Nice, France, 06000
        • Nice University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 35 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • right-handed adult subjects
  • between 18 and 35 years of age,
  • affiliated to or benefiting from a social security system
  • having signed a prior informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • minors
  • subjects aged 36 years and older,
  • left-handed,
  • neurological disorders contraindicating fMRI examinations,
  • protected by law under guardianship or curatorship, or unable to participate in a clinical study under Article L. 1121-16 of the French Public Health Code.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: young healthy adults
Participants need to complete three experimental conditions associated with fMRI recording of brain activity. In condition A (Visual Spatial), participants will see the sequences presented from left to right; in condition B (Visual No Spatial), participants will see sequences of items presented in the middle of the screen; and in condition C (Auditory), the sequences will be presented in an auditory format.
Radiation: fMRI
The participant will then complete a series of working memory tasks under three distinct conditions as described above (visual spatial, visual non-spatial, auditory). The instructions and tasks will be administered via an MRI compatible monitor and headset system (NordicNeuroLab). During the tasks, the participant's brain activity will be recorded. Finally, at the end of the experiment, a high-resolution anatomical image of the brain will be acquired in order to facilitate the subsequent data processing steps and to define the position of the interparietal sulcus for each subject. The visit will be completed by a visual imaging questionnaire.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Behavioral measure
Time Frame: during the fMRI
Reaction time (ms) across experimental conditions
during the fMRI

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Brain measure
Time Frame: through study completion, an average of 2 years

Brain activity recorded using fMRI device across experimental conditions

level of Blood-Oxygen-Level-Dependant (BOLD) effect
through study completion, an average of 2 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 9, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 19, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 17, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 16, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 10, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 13, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 25, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 17, 2024

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 22-PP-21

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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