Observational Study on Brain Activity and Cognitive Control

This observational study aims to understand how the brain works during thinking, reasoning, and remembering tasks, especially in people with conditions like cognitive impairment, dementia, ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), and depression. Researchers will observe brain activity using recordings from electrodes already placed in the brain for seizure monitoring (routine intracranial monitoring). You would participate in 'passive testing' (like language or cognitive tasks without stimulation) and 'active testing' (where small amounts of electrical stimulation are delivered through the electrodes). The study will measure your performance on tasks like Go/No-go, Simon/Stroop, and Stop-signal tasks to see how brain activity relates to these cognitive functions. This research hopes to improve treatments for these conditions. You can join if you are at least 18 years old, have medically-refractory epilepsy, and are already scheduled for intracranial monitoring surgery.

Study design
This is an observational study with a planned enrollment of 30 participants. It is not a randomized or blinded study.
What's involved
You would undergo passive testing (30-60 minutes) and active testing, which involves electrical stimulation through implanted electrodes. Sensors may be placed on your scalp, arms, and legs, and a device on your wrist or finger. Voice, eye movement, and motion capture recordings may also be performed. These activities occur after your surgery and continue through study completion, an average of 7 days.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your performance on cognitive tasks will be measured from after surgery (Post-op) through the completion of the study, which is an average of 7 days.

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NCT05927974

Investigating Dynamic Interactions in Distributed Cognitive Control Networks

Recruiting
Not specifiedAges 18+Observational
University of Alabama at Birmingham
~30 participants
Updated 2026-04-29 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Passive testingActive testing

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Go/No-go
Measured over Post-op through study completion, an average of 7 days.
+11 more outcomes measured
Cognitive Impairment
Dementia
ADD
Depression
1 sites across 1 states
Alabama1
  • Jessica N Bentley, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · The University of Alabama at Birmingham

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Eligible for surgery based on multi-disciplinary consensus review
Have a diagnosis of medically-refractory epilepsy
A minimum of 18 years of age
Willingness to participate in the paradigms described in the protocol

Exclusion

Inability to provide full and informed consent
Age younger than 18
Are not physically able to participate in study-related activities
Major medical or surgical complication
  • Go/No-goPost-op through study completion, an average of 7 days.

    Cognitive tasks given will be decided upon based on the clinical symptoms, exam, or comorbidities. Tasks will be administered via computer monitor positioned in front of the subject. This will be connected to a recording computer. Participants will respond via keyboard, mouse, or response button.

  • Simon/Stroop taskPost-op through study completion, an average of 7 days.

    Cognitive tasks given will be decided upon based on the clinical symptoms, exam, or comorbidities. Tasks will be administered via computer monitor positioned in front of the subject. This will be connected to a recording computer. Participants will respond via keyboard, mouse, or response button.

  • Stop-signal taskPost-op through study completion, an average of 7 days.

    Cognitive tasks given will be decided upon based on the clinical symptoms, exam, or comorbidities. Tasks will be administered via computer monitor positioned in front of the subject. This will be connected to a recording computer. Participants will respond via keyboard, mouse, or response button.

  • Language taskPost-op through study completion, an average of 7 days.

    Cognitive tasks given will be decided upon based on the clinical symptoms, exam, or comorbidities. Tasks will be administered via computer monitor positioned in front of the subject. This will be connected to a recording computer. Participants will respond via keyboard, mouse, or response button.

  • Tower of LondonPost-op Day Post-op through study completion, an average of 7 days.

    Cognitive tasks given will be decided upon based on the clinical symptoms, exam, or comorbidities. Tasks will be administered via computer monitor positioned in front of the subject. This will be connected to a recording computer. Participants will respond via keyboard, mouse, or response button.

  • Gambling taskPost-op through study completion, an average of 7 days.

    Cognitive tasks given will be decided upon based on the clinical symptoms, exam, or comorbidities. Tasks will be administered via computer monitor positioned in front of the subject. This will be connected to a recording computer. Participants will respond via keyboard, mouse, or response button.

  • Maze navigationPost-op through study completion, an average of 7 days.

    Cognitive tasks given will be decided upon based on the clinical symptoms, exam, or comorbidities. Tasks will be administered via computer monitor positioned in front of the subject. This will be connected to a recording computer. Participants will respond via keyboard, mouse, or response button.

  • Choice-reaction timePost-op through study completion, an average of 7 days.

    Cognitive tasks given will be decided upon based on the clinical symptoms, exam, or comorbidities. Tasks will be administered via computer monitor positioned in front of the subject. This will be connected to a recording computer. Participants will respond via keyboard, mouse, or response button.

  • Delay taskPost-op through study completion, an average of 7 days.

    Cognitive tasks given will be decided upon based on the clinical symptoms, exam, or comorbidities. Tasks will be administered via computer monitor positioned in front of the subject. This will be connected to a recording computer. Participants will respond via keyboard, mouse, or response button.

  • Attention taskPost-op through study completion, an average of 7 days.

    Cognitive tasks given will be decided upon based on the clinical symptoms, exam, or comorbidities. Tasks will be administered via computer monitor positioned in front of the subject. This will be connected to a recording computer. Participants will respond via keyboard, mouse, or response button.

  • Cortico-cortical evoked potentialsPost-op through study completion, an average of 7 days.

    Stimulus pulses at precise time intervals will be delivered across adjacent electrode contacts at a series of electrode sites while simultaneously recording neural activity at other electrodes.

  • Patterned StimulationPost-op through study completion, an average of 7 days.

    Stimulus pulses at various patterns will be delivered across adjacent electrode contacts at a series of electrode sites while simultaneously recording neural activity at other electrodes.