Pharmacological Modulation of Brain Oscillations in Memory Processing

Description

The goal of this study is to learn about the effects of scopolamine (an anticholinergic drug) on areas of the brain involved in memory, and changes it may have on brain activity. The investigators will do this by testing epileptic patients who are already undergoing intracranial surgery for seizure monitoring, and measuring the activity from the brain areas being assessed. The main questions it aims to answer are 1) whether scopolamine changes memory activity solely at encoding (the time when the person perceives and determines to remember an item or event) as has previously been found, or if it also can selectively impact retrieval (when the item or event which has been processed is recalled or remembered), and 2) what the nature of the brain activity changes is. Participants will complete two treatment arms. One of these will be with the drug, and the other will be with a saline solution, so that the participants are unaware which session the actual drug has been received. Patients will complete a verbal and/or spatial task each of the two days. An anesthesiologist will administer either the drug or the saline at a critical point which addresses both of the research questions. Researchers will compare the brain activity between the two treatment arms to determine what brain activity changes, and at what time point during memory formation.

Conditions

Epilepsy, Seizures, Cognitive Impairment, Mild, Memory Disorders, Memory Loss

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

The goal of this study is to learn about the effects of scopolamine (an anticholinergic drug) on areas of the brain involved in memory, and changes it may have on brain activity. The investigators will do this by testing epileptic patients who are already undergoing intracranial surgery for seizure monitoring, and measuring the activity from the brain areas being assessed. The main questions it aims to answer are 1) whether scopolamine changes memory activity solely at encoding (the time when the person perceives and determines to remember an item or event) as has previously been found, or if it also can selectively impact retrieval (when the item or event which has been processed is recalled or remembered), and 2) what the nature of the brain activity changes is. Participants will complete two treatment arms. One of these will be with the drug, and the other will be with a saline solution, so that the participants are unaware which session the actual drug has been received. Patients will complete a verbal and/or spatial task each of the two days. An anesthesiologist will administer either the drug or the saline at a critical point which addresses both of the research questions. Researchers will compare the brain activity between the two treatment arms to determine what brain activity changes, and at what time point during memory formation.

Behavioral and Pharmacological Manipulation of Time Cell Activity in the Human Mesial Temporal Lobe

Pharmacological Modulation of Brain Oscillations in Memory Processing

Condition
Epilepsy
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Dallas

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States, 75390

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • 1. Age 18 - 55 years, all races/ethnicities, and both genders are eligible.
  • 2. Candidates for pre-operative evaluation using stereo intracranial electrodes and admission to the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) as determined independently by the patient's treating physician as part of the patient's routine medical care.
  • 3. Able to read, understand, and provide written, dated informed consent prior to screening.
  • 4. In good general health, aside from a history of epilepsy, as ascertained by medical history, physical examination (PE), clinical laboratory evaluations, and ECG.
  • 5. Body mass index between 18-35 kg/m2.
  • 1. Has a clinically significant abnormality on the screening physical examination that might affect safety, study participation, or confound interpretation of study results according to the study physician.
  • 2. Female that is pregnant, breastfeeding, or has a positive pregnancy test at screening or baseline. Note that pregnant patients are excluded from undergoing iEEG generally and all patients undergo a positive screening urine test for drugs of abuse at screening: cannabinoids, cocaine, amphetamines, barbiturates, opiates not otherwise explained by their prescribed medications.
  • 3. History of renal insufficiency.
  • 4. Unstable cardiac syndrome or active cardiac symptoms.
  • 5. Patients with liver failure.
  • 6. Patients with BPH.
  • 7. Patients with autoimmune neuropathy.
  • 8. Patients with uncontrolled hyperthyroidism.
  • 9. Patients with a history of dementia.
  • 10. Patient with a history of delirium after using transdermal scopolamine.
  • 11. History of narrow-angle glaucoma.
  • 12. History of pyloric obstruction or paralytic ileus.
  • 13. History of myasthenia gravis, obstructive uropathy, porphyria, or myasthenia gravis.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to 55 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Collaborators and Investigators

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center,

Bradley C Lega, MD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Study Record Dates

2026-11-30