fMRI for Cognitive Flexibility

Overseen By Kai Hwang, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Kai Hwang

Must not be taking: Benzodiazepines, Long-acting opioids, Psychotropics

Disqualifiers: Neurological, Psychiatric, Metal implants, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how the mediodorsal thalamus, a specific part of the brain, aids in flexible thinking and decision-making. Researchers use high-resolution MRI scans to understand how this brain area manages information and adapts to changing circumstances. The trial may offer insights into why some mental health issues, such as schizophrenia or ADHD, impair flexible thinking. Eligible participants should not have any condition or use medications that affect thinking and must have normal vision and color perception. As an unphased study, this trial offers a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research on brain function and mental health.

What prior data suggests that this fMRI technique is safe for cognitive studies?

Research has shown that functional MRI (fMRI) is a safe and noninvasive method to measure brain activity. Studies have found that fMRI can detect small changes in blood flow, identifying which brain parts are active during different tasks. This eliminates the need for injections or surgery.

fMRI is commonly used in research and has a strong safety record. No major risks or side effects have been reported from fMRI scans. Some people might feel uncomfortable or claustrophobic inside the MRI machine, but this is not harmful. Overall, fMRI is well-tolerated and considered safe for most people. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it uses advanced 7-Tesla functional MRI to explore how the brain supports flexible thinking and decision-making. Unlike typical treatments for cognitive flexibility, which might involve medications or behavioral therapies, this approach focuses on directly observing brain activity in the mediodorsal thalamus and prefrontal cortex. By linking computational models with neural activity, the trial aims to uncover new insights into how our brains adapt and make decisions, which could lead to more effective interventions in the future.

What evidence suggests that this trial's methods could be effective for studying cognitive flexibility?

Research shows that the mediodorsal (MD) thalamus plays a crucial role in flexible thinking and behavior. It helps update mental "context" to determine which actions or rules are important in various situations. In this trial, participants will complete cognitive tasks while high-resolution 7-Tesla functional MRI measures their brain activity. This will assess how the MD thalamus and prefrontal cortex represent and update contextual information. Studies using fMRI reveal that activity in the MD thalamus and its connection with the prefrontal cortex is vital for adapting to changes in tasks or rules. Early findings suggest that examining these brain areas with fMRI can clarify difficulties in flexible thinking seen in conditions like schizophrenia and ADHD. High-resolution MRI allows close observation of these processes, enhancing the understanding of adaptive decision-making. ^{2 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals with schizophrenia or ADHD. Participants will be involved in a study examining the brain's role in flexible thinking and behavior, particularly focusing on the mediodorsal thalamus. The exact eligibility criteria are not provided.

Inclusion Criteria

No non-removable body piercing jewelry

No history of claustrophobia

Normal color perception (Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue Test)

Exclusion Criteria

Known metal implants (including various medical devices)

History of claustrophobia

Currently pregnant or trying to get pregnant (self-reported)

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Experimental Task

Participants complete cognitive tasks while undergoing high-resolution brain imaging using 7-Tesla MRI to examine how the thalamus interacts with the cortex during flexible decision-making.

1 session (approximately 90 minutes)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after the experimental task

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Trial Overview The study uses high-resolution fMRI to observe how the mediodorsal thalamus functions during tasks that require working memory, cognitive control, and decision-making. It aims to understand its role in organizing mental frameworks relevant to different situations.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Within subject manipulation of working memory, cognitive control, and decision making Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will complete a series of cognitive tasks designed to engage working memory, cognitive control, and decision-making. During these tasks, participants will view stimuli and make rule-based or value-based choices that require updating and applying context to guide behavior. Brain activity will be measured using high-resolution 7-Tesla functional MRI to assess how the mediodorsal thalamus and prefrontal cortex represent and update contextual information. Computational models will link behavior and neural activity to test how thalamic signals support flexible cognition and adaptive decision-making.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Kai Hwang

Lead Sponsor

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6880681/

Functional MRI on executive functioning in aging and dementia The purpose of this review was to recognize what methods have been used to study executive functions with aging and dementia in fMRI tasks, and to describe and ...

2. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07217652

NCT07217652 | Investigating Mediodorsal Thalamus ... The goal of this basic experimental research study is to examine how the human thalamus supports flexible thinking and behavior.

3. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538909/

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) - NCBI Functional neuroimaging of reward processing and decision-making: A review of aberrant motivational and affective processing in addiction and mood disorders ...

4. explorationpub.com explorationpub.com/Journals/em/Article/1001256

Functional connectivity and cognitive decline: a review of rs ... The current review summarizes the findings, which highlight the impact of FC changes on cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease progression using these ...

5. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41598-023-43837-w

Identification of cognitive load-dependent activation ... This study found that altering activation patterns by increasing task difficulty could aid in evaluating the various stages of cognitive dysfunction in many ...

6. my.clevelandclinic.org my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/25034-functional-mri-fmri

Functional MRI (fMRI) Functional MRI is a type of MRI scan that can show which areas of your brain are most active. Tracking and comparing that activity to what you were doing at ...

7. radiologyinfo.org radiologyinfo.org/en/info/fmribrain

Functional MRI (fMRI) of the brain Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measures the small changes in blood flow that occur with brain activity.

8. fmri.ucsd.edu fmri.ucsd.edu/Research/whatisfmri.html

What Is FMRI? - Center for Functional MRI - UC San Diego Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a technique for measuring and mapping brain activity that is noninvasive and safe.

9. en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_magnetic_resonance_imaging

Functional magnetic resonance imaging Functional magnetic resonance imaging or functional MRI (fMRI) measures brain activity by detecting changes associated with blood flow.