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Reinstatement of Context During Sleep and Its Subsequent Effect on Memory: an fMRI Study
NCT04702724 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
Memory benefits from sleep and these benefits are putatively achieved through reactivation of the neural memory trace during sleep. Studies examining the effects of reactivation commonly focus on single, isolated items - but real-life memories never exist in a vacuum. Individual memories are bound to the context (e.g., the location, time and state of mind in which they are encoded) and this context is later reinstated to recall the details related to the memory. The question of how context participated in the process of sleep reactivation has never been directly examined. This experiment will monitor brain activity during memory encoding, sleep and finally retrieval to investigate the role context plays in sleep-related memory consolidation. Monitoring will be done using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings. Participants will go through a series of training trials, in which they will have to learn to associate several small images of items or animals with a larger image of scenes - and also learn the spatial location of these smaller images on the screen. The order of the presented images and the scenes in which they are embedded will remain constant throughout training, creating a solid, consistent temporal context in which item memories will be embedded. After training, participants will receive a 90 minute nap opportunity, during which the sounds associated with specific images will be unobtrusively presented. I expect memory for the spatial location of the cued images to improve. Importantly, I hypothesize that this effect will carry over to other items associated with the same scene (i.e., embedded in the same context) and that the temporal order in which the images were learned will govern this effect. I will use the EEG and fMRI data to estimate, on the basis of neuronal pattern activity, the level of contextual reinstatement and will build on these data, in combination with the behavioral results, to model
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- BEHAVIORAL Targeted memory reactivation (sounds)
Study Locations (1)
Illinois
- Center for Translational Imaging - Northwestern University — Chicago
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 26 participants |
| Start Date | 2021-05-10 |
| Est. Completion | 2022-06-30 |
| Phase | NA |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT04702724
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT04702724 describes a study currently listed as completed. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 26 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is Northwestern University, which has 1,033 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 2 conditions, with Sleep appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 1 intervention — of which Targeted memory reactivation (sounds) is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT04702724 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Illinois. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT04702724 about?
NCT04702724 is a clinical study titled "Reinstatement of Context During Sleep and Its Subsequent Effect on Memory: an fMRI Study". Memory benefits from sleep and these benefits are putatively achieved through reactivation of the neural memory trace during sleep. Studies examining the effects of reactivation commonly focus on single, isolated items - but real-life memories never exist in a vacuum. Individual memories are bound t...
What is the current status of trial NCT04702724?
This trial is currently completed. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 26 participants. The study started on 2021-05-10. Estimated completion is 2022-06-30.
What conditions does trial NCT04702724 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Sleep, Consolidation. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT04702724?
The interventions under investigation include: Targeted memory reactivation (sounds) (BEHAVIORAL). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT04702724?
This trial is sponsored by Northwestern University, which has 1,033 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT04702724 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Illinois. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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