Sleep Sound Stimulation to Support Brain Waste Clearance and Memory
Tests sound stimulation during sleep in adults with memory concerns or Alzheimer disease.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Sleep Stimulation to Enhance Waste Clearance in the Brain
Key facts
- Where
- Brussels, BelgiumSee 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: NCT07051239, who can take part
Where in Belgium
- Hôpital Universitaire de BruxellesBrussels, BelgiumNo 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
- Erasme University Hospital
- Trial code
- NCT07051239
- Record updated
- 9 July 2025
- Original description
This study aims to examine whether multi-night closed-loop auditory stimulation (CLAS) during sleep can enhance waste clearance and memory consolidation in healthy adults and older adults with subjective cognitive decline or mild cognitive impairment who exhibit elevated brain amyloid levels identified through prior clinical screening. Specifically, the study investigates whether sleep stimulation increases the clearance of plasma biomarkers related to neurodegeneration, improves the brain's waste clearance system, and supports memory consolidation. Participants will undergo five nights each of CLAS and sham (no stimulation) interventions, with a washout period in between. They will also complete clinical assessments, including MRI scans, blood sample collection, and cognitive testing, and will keep track of subjective sleep quality, sleepiness, mood, and fatigue throughout the interventions.Read full original descriptionShow less
Enhancing Waste Clearance Through Sleep Stimulation
This study aims to examine whether multi-night closed-loop auditory stimulation (CLAS) during sleep can enhance waste clearance and memory consolidation in healthy adults and older adults with subjective cognitive decline or mild cognitive impairment who exhibit elevated brain amyloid levels identified through prior clinical screening. Specifically, the study investigates whether sleep stimulation increases the clearance of plasma biomarkers related to neurodegeneration, improves the brain's waste clearance system, and supports memory consolidation. Participants will undergo five nights each of CLAS and sham (no stimulation) interventions, with a washout period in between. They will also complete clinical assessments, including MRI scans, blood sample collection, and cognitive testing, and will keep track of subjective sleep quality, sleepiness, mood, and fatigue throughout the interventions.
Inclusion: Proficiency in the French language (close to native level) to complete the neuropsychological evaluation and cognitive tests; MRI compatibility: absence of metallic materials in the body (implants, vascular clips, certain types of orthopedic material, etc.), a pacemaker or other types of stimulators, cochlear implants, or any other electronic devices.
Exclusion: Ongoing treatment with psychotropic medications (benzodiazepines, antidepressants); Current or past psychiatric or neurological conditions (except for those directly associated with the patient group); The presence of severe untreated sleep disorders; The presence of irregular sleep-wake cycles (due to shiftwork or extreme chronotype); The presence of moderate depression or high levels of anxiety; Regular or excessive consumption of alcohol or caffeinated drinks; Consumption of other psychoactive substances known to have an impact on the central nervous system; Insufficient visual or auditory acuity to complete the assessments if uncorrected. Normal hearing is required for sound stimulation to be effective; Claustrophobia that prevents undergoing brain imaging (MRI); Pregnancy or currently breastfeeding.
For the positive amyloid load group:; -Participants who meet the criteria of subjective cognitive decline or mild cognitive impairment (Clinical Dementia Rating < 2; Mini-Mental State Examination ≥ 21) and brain amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation confirmed by CSF or amyloid-PET, the inclusion age range is 55-80 years; For healthy groups:; -Inclusion age range is 18-80 years.