Studies how the brain supports thinking and mood in people with epilepsy
Records brain activity while adults with hard-to-treat epilepsy do computer tasks.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Electrochemical and Electrophysiological Study
Key facts
- Where
- Phoenix, United StatesSee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 80 years old?
Source: NCT05273970, who can take part
Where in United States
- Banner - University Medical Center, Phoenix campusPhoenix, United StatesNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- University of Arizona
- Trial code
- NCT05273970
- Record updated
- 17 December 2025
- Original description
This study will utilize computerized algorithms in combination with real-time intracranial neurophysiological and neurochemical recordings and microstimulation to measure cognitive and affective behavior in humans.Read full original descriptionShow less
Electrochemical and Electrophysiological Correlates of Human Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior
This study will utilize computerized algorithms in combination with real-time intracranial neurophysiological and neurochemical recordings and microstimulation to measure cognitive and affective behavior in humans.
Questionnaires or simple behavioral tasks (game-like tasks on a computer or an iPad) may also be given to additionally characterize subjects on related cognitive or affective components. Importantly, for the purposes of understanding the function of the human brain, neural activity can be recorded and probed (i.e. microstimulation) while subjects are performing the same computerized cognitive and affective tasks. These surgeries allow for the in vivo examination of human neurophysiology and are a rare opportunity for such research.
The questionnaires and assessments proposed will provide insights into disorders (and anxiety, depression) and psychological status that we hope to understand in relation to the neurochemistry measures. They will also provide baseline information that may be used to characterize and group the population to further refine our understanding of the neural responses.
In addition to computerized testing, we plan to characterize subjects' behavior on related cognitive or affective components. Some neuropsychological questionnaires, many of which are administered for clinical reasons, may also be given to patients and healthy control subjects.
All patients undergoing epilepsy surgery or deep brain stimulation undergo a standard clinical neuropsychological battery to assess aspects of cognitive function. This is a regular aspect of their clinical assessment carried out prior to consideration for study inclusion. All participants are selected uniformly because they are undergoing surgery for intracranial electrode implantation. No particular ethnic group or population is targeted by or excluded from the study.
Those to be considered for inclusion in the proposed study performing more than 2 standard deviations below the mean on any aspect of cognitive functioning as determined by standard preoperative neuropsychological testing will be excluded from the study.
Inclusion: Age 18 to 80 years, inclusive; Patients who are candidates for electrode implantation due to pharmacologically intractable epilepsy, or other neurological/psychological disorders for which subdural electrode implantation may be clinically required for treatment; Patients competent to give informed consent/assent for the research protocol and parents of children under 18 who are competent to give informed consent on behalf of the child; Fluency in English (necessary for uniform cognitive testing); Committee approved candidates for brain surgery; Medications must be at stable doses for at least 1 month before surgery.
Exclusion: Terminal illness associated with <12 month survival; Contraindication to MRI imaging, e.g., morbid obesity, metallic devices such as cardiac pacemakers, some aneurysm clips, or shrapnel; Clinically significant cognitive dysfunction; Current pregnancy or pregnancy planned during the course of the study; Cognitive function less than 2 standard deviations below normal on preoperative neuropsychological testing.