Boosting The Intervention Effect of Negative Memory Through tACS Stimulation

Research on Improving the Intervention Effect of Negative Memory Through tACS Enhanced Memory Technology

The objectives of this study include: 1) investigating the impact of negative memory substitution on an individual's other intellectual memories (i.e., neutral memories) and the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms; 2) investigating the memory enhancement effect resulting from retrieval practice associated with memory substitution intervention along with an examination of the neurocognitive mechanisms responsible for this enhancement.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Seizures
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Active tACS Device; Device: Sham tACS Device

Detailed Description

This study will adopt two memory updating strategies: retrieval practice and reactivation.

A 5-day memory updating experimental paradigm is used.

1. On the first day, the old memory A-B linkage is learned, where A represents a neutral word and B is either neutral or negative pictures (half of each, randomly scrambled).
2. On the second day, the old memory A-B association is consolidated again, and after a 15-minute break, the new memory A-C association is learned, where A is still the word A used in the old memory A-B association on the first day, and C is the new neutral and negative pictures (half of each, randomly scrambled, and with inconsistent categories of C and B in each pair of AC and AB). Immediately following this, the new memories of the A-C conjunctions are updated using both Retrieval practice and Restudy (control condition) memory strategies.
3. A-C is extracted/learned using both Retrieval practice and Restudy memory strategies on both day 3 and day 4.
4. On the fifth day, memory tests for associative memory strength, gist and detail memory, as well as emotional valence and strength are performed.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Hongxing Wang, MD & PhD; Phone Number: 01083198513; Email: hxwang8888@126.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. 14-60 years old, male or female, Han Chinese;
2. Drug-resistant epilepsy;
3. Required surgical implantation of SEEG electrodes.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Progressive encephalopathy or progressive structural damage in the central nervous system;
2. Significant heart, liver, renal insufficiency, and other medical diseases;
3. Severe side effects from taking antiepileptic drugs at the time of enrollment and not inappropriate for SEEG;
4. Significant intellectual disability;
5. A history of alcohol and drug abuse;
6. Any contraindication to MRI.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Active tACS; Those who participate in the treatment group will receive tACS, which lasts for 40 minutes per day on 3 consecutive days.	Device: Active tACS Device; Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation
Placebo Comparator: Sham tACS; Those who participate in the control group will receive sham tACS, which lasts for 40 minutes per day on 3 consecutive days.	Device: Sham tACS Device; Placebo Device that simulates active tACS treatment

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Negative memory retention	The intervention could disrupt retention of associative negative memory and degree of detail of the negative memories in last A-C paired associate memory test.	Day 5

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The negative emotional intensity of negative memory	The negative memories emotional relief as assesses by the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) Measure Scales in last A-C paired associate memory test. This measure is constant retrieval practice of neutral memories (A-Cneu) will result in negative memories emotional relief (A-Bneg) compared to the restudy condition.	Day 5
The retention of associated neutral memories as assesses by the proportions of responses of correctly choosing picture category of B picture (A-Bneu) in last A-B paired associate memory test	This measure is continuous rumination of negative memories (A-Cneg) will increase the strength of associated memories (A-Bneu).	Day 5
The negative emotional intensity of neutral memory	The emotion-diffusing effects of negative memory rumination as assesses by negative emotional intensity of neutral memories (A-Bneu),which is meature by the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) Measure Scales. The negative emotional intensity of neutral memories are more negative with constant retrieval practice of negative memories (A-Cneg) that is the emotion-diffusing effects of negative memory rumination.	Day 5

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing
• Collaborators: Beijing Normal University
• Investigators: Study Director: Guoguang Zhao, Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): August 15, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 15, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 1, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 16, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): April 19, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 7, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 5, 2024
• Last Verified: November 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: neuromodulation; transcranial alternating current stimulation; working memory; seizure; neural mechanisms; retrieval practice; negative memory
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Seizures
• Other Study ID Numbers: Memory Updating Tasks

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No