Effects of Brain Stimulation During Daytime Nap on Memory Consolidation in Younger, Healthy Subjects

Overview

The beneficial effect of daytime sleep on memory consolidation has been shown in young, healthy subjects. Especially, periods rich in slow-wave sleep (SWS) have shown a memory enhancing effect on hippocampus-dependent declarative memory. Slow oscillatory activity typically occuring during SWS has been implicated in the consolidation effect. In this study we investigate if the consolidation effect can be amplified by the application of a weak transcranial oscillatory electric current within the frequency range of SWS in humans (0,7-0,8 Hz) during daytime SWS.

Full Title of Study: “Impact of Transcranial Slow Oscillating Stimulation on Memory Consolidation During Daytime Slow Wave Sleep in Younger, Healthy Subjects”

Study Type

  • Study Type: Interventional
  • Study Design
    • Allocation: Randomized
    • Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
    • Primary Purpose: Treatment
    • Masking: Triple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator)
  • Study Primary Completion Date: January 2015

Interventions

  • Device: brain stimulation
    • oscillating direct current brain stimulation
  • Device: no stimulation
    • sham Stimulation

Arms, Groups and Cohorts

  • Experimental: SHAM stimulation
    • SHAM stimulation during periods of Slow Wave Sleep
  • Experimental: 0,75 Hz stimulation
    • slow transcranial oscillating stimulation (~0,75Hz) during periods of Slow Wave Sleep

Clinical Trial Outcome Measures

Primary Measures

  • Retention of declarative memories after 0.75 Hz stimulation during SWS, vs after sham stimulation during SWS
    • Time Frame: 4 weeks
    • Retention between stimulation conditions (0.75 Hz during SWS, vs sham stimulation during SWS) in the declarative memory task.

Secondary Measures

  • Amount of Slow wave Sleep
    • Time Frame: 4 weeks
    • 1. Amount of slow wave sleep assessed by standard polysomnographic criteria in 0,75 Hz vs SHAM stimulation during SWS.
  • 2. sleep spindles
    • Time Frame: 4 weeks
    • 2. Spindle activity during sleep indicated via several spindle parameters like number, duration, frequency of spindles; compared between 0,75 Hz and SHAM stimulation during SWS.
  • 3. EEG-correlates
    • Time Frame: 4 weeks
    • 3. Neuronal correlates (EEG-power in slow oscillation frequency bands induced by 0,75 Hz vs SHAM stimulation during SWS; EEG-correlates of encoding and retrieval of a declarative memory task).
  • 4. further memory systems
    • Time Frame: 4 weeks
    • 4. Performance in further memory systems (procedural), compared between 0,75 Hz and SHAM stimulation during SWS.

Participating in This Clinical Trial

Inclusion Criteria

  • healthy Subjects – unobtrusive, neuropsychological screening – age: 18-35 years – right handed Exclusion Criteria:

  • untreated severe internal or psychiatric diseases – epilepsy – other severe neurological diseases eg., previous major stroke, brain tumour – contraindications to MRI

Gender Eligibility: All

Minimum Age: 18 Years

Maximum Age: 35 Years

Are Healthy Volunteers Accepted: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Investigator Details

  • Lead Sponsor
    • Charite University, Berlin, Germany
  • Provider of Information About this Clinical Study
    • Principal Investigator: Agnes Flöel, Prof. Agnes Flöel, MD – Charite University, Berlin, Germany
  • Overall Official(s)
    • Agnes Flöel, Professor, Principal Investigator, Charite Universitätsmedizin Berlin – Neurologie

References

Marshall L, Helgadottir H, Molle M, Born J. Boosting slow oscillations during sleep potentiates memory. Nature. 2006 Nov 30;444(7119):610-3. doi: 10.1038/nature05278. Epub 2006 Nov 5.

Diekelmann S, Born J. The memory function of sleep. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2010 Feb;11(2):114-26. doi: 10.1038/nrn2762. Epub 2010 Jan 4.

Mednick SC, Cai DJ, Kanady J, Drummond SP. Comparing the benefits of caffeine, naps and placebo on verbal, motor and perceptual memory. Behav Brain Res. 2008 Nov 3;193(1):79-86. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2008.04.028. Epub 2008 May 8.

Mander BA, Santhanam S, Saletin JM, Walker MP. Wake deterioration and sleep restoration of human learning. Curr Biol. 2011 Mar 8;21(5):R183-4. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2011.01.019. No abstract available.

Mednick S, Nakayama K, Stickgold R. Sleep-dependent learning: a nap is as good as a night. Nat Neurosci. 2003 Jul;6(7):697-8. doi: 10.1038/nn1078.

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