What this means
This is a planned study that will test whether meditation and gentle brain stimulation can boost brain signals linked to attention. It has not reported results, so it cannot yet show whether these methods help memory or thinking.
Plain-English summary written by an AI model from the registry listing.
- Status
- Recruiting
- Who can join
- Ages 18–90
- Where
- 2 sites, including Texas
The science
- Registered title
- Enhancing Attention in Elderly Using a Brain-Computer-Interface
- Trial ID
- NCT07441122 ↗
- Phase
- Not applicable
- Study type
- interventional
- Conditions
- Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
- What is tested
- transcranial electrical stimulation, Mindfulness Meditation
- Sponsor
- University of Texas at Austin
- Ages
- 18 Years to 90 Years
- Dates
- First posted Feb 27, 2026 · updated Jul 27, 2026
Registry summary
Cognitive reserve refers to the brain's ability to maintain cognitive performance despite age-related changes or neuropathology. Enhancing cognitive reserve is thought to delay cognitive decline and improve functional outcomes in aging and neurodegenerative conditions. Attention and memory-related neural processes are considered key contributors to cognitive reserve, yet it remains unclear whether these neural markers can be deliberately strengthened through targeted training and non-invasive interventions.
The goal of this clinical study is to investigate whether mindfulness-based meditation and non-invasive brain stimulation can enhance neural markers of attention and memory that serve as proxies for cognitive reserve in cognitively healthy adults and older adults diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Investigators hypothesize that strengthening these neural markers will lead to measurable improvements in cognitive reserve-related functions in both healthy aging and MCI populations.
This study further hypothesizes that neural markers of attention can be selectively enhanced using an electroencephalography (EEG)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) combined with non-invasive interventions such as mindfulness-based relaxation or neuromodulation. During the study, participants will perform a computerized memory task while their EEG signals are recorded in real time. A BCI will analyze these signals to decode the presence or absence of the P300 event-related potential, a well-established neural marker of attentional control and cognitive resource allocation. Real-time feedback and intervention will be used to modulate these neural processes with the goal of promoting adaptive changes in attention-related brain activity.
By integrating EEG-based decoding, behavioral training, and non-invasive interventions, this study aims to determine whether targeted modulation of attention-related neural activity can support cognitive reserve in aging and mild cognitive impairment.
Sites (2)
- The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States
- Sun City, Georgetown, Texas, United States