{"type":"trials","record":{"id":31063,"source_id":"clinicaltrials-gov","external_id":"NCT06938672","title":"Evaluating the Effects of tDCS on Sleep and Cognition in Healthy Older Adults","brief_summary":"The goal of this interventional study is to learn if transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a gentle, cost-effective and non-invasive brain stimulation technique can improve sleep brain activity during an afternoon nap. Since these sleep brain patterns are linked to better memory, attention, and thinking skills, this study aims to find out if improving sleep in a nap can also enhance these cognitive skills in healthy older adults (aged 60+). The main questions it aims to answer are: * Can a short (20-minute) tDCS session before a nap improve sleep patterns during the nap? * Since these sleep patterns are linked to memory and attention, can tDCS also improve thinking skills after the nap? * Are two tDCS session more effective than one for improving nap sleep and thinking skills? Participants will: • Be required to come to the university for testing over four days. During each session they will: * Complete computer based-tasks to assess memory and thinking. * Receive a 20-minute session of either real (active) or fake (placebo) tDCS. * Take a short, monitored nap while researchers measure sleep activity (using polysomnography - a gold-standard, non-invasive sleep monitoring tool). * Complete an easy-to-use sleep test at home on the nights after the naps. * Wear a lightweight watch (called an Actiwatch) throughout the study period to track sleep and movement. * Complete daily sleep diaries. By taking part, participants will help researchers understand whether tDCS can improve sleep during naps and, in turn, support memory and thinking skills. This research could lead to better treatments for sleep problems, help protect brain health, and reduce the risk of dementia as people age. The brain stimulation in this study may also help improve their sleep and cognition.","overall_status":"Completed","phases":[],"study_type":"INTERVENTIONAL","sponsor":"Northumbria University","enrollment":12,"countries":["United Kingdom"],"start_date":"2025-07-01","completion_date":"2026-05-06","last_update_date":"2026-05-07","source_url":"https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06938672","editorial_summary":"A registered study indexed because it matched monitored longevity research terms. Registry status: Completed. Registration does not establish safety or effectiveness.","first_seen_at":"2026-09-25T01:16:21.317971+00:00","last_seen_at":"2026-09-25T03:25:05.311+00:00","metadata":{"acronym":null,"organization":"Northumbria University","source_has_results":false},"controlled_terms":["Sleep","Cognition","Healthy Aging","Placebo Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)","Active Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)"],"relevance_confidence":100,"source_quality_score":100,"freshness_score":100,"publication_state":"published","match_explanation":"Title contains controlled term: sleep.","quality_checked_at":"2026-09-25T03:25:13.562031+00:00","duplicate_cluster_key":"id:nct06938672","duplicate_of_id":null,"evidence_snapshot":{"status":"structured","version":1,"duration":"2025-07-01 to 2026-05-06","comparator":null,"confidence":"structured-source","population":null,"provenance":{"duration":"start_date and completion_date","comparator":"registry arm fields","population":"registry eligibility fields","intervention":"registry intervention fields","participants":"enrollment","study_design":"study_type and registry design fields","evidence_stage":"phases","reported_outcome":"not available","outcomes_measured":"registry outcome-measure fields"},"generated_at":"2026-09-25T03:42:03.02286+00:00","intervention":[],"participants":12,"study_design":"INTERVENTIONAL","subject_scope":"Human clinical study registration","evidence_stage":"Phase not reported","safety_context":"Eligibility, adverse-event details, and clinical decisions must be checked in the official registry and with qualified clinicians.","source_support":"Structured registry protocol metadata; no finding-level conclusion is generated.","main_limitation":"This is a study registration. No reusable structured result is available here, so it cannot show whether the intervention worked or was safe.","reported_outcome":null,"outcomes_measured":[],"regulatory_context":"Trial registration is not regulatory approval and does not establish that an intervention is available."},"clinical_trial_topics":[{"topic_slug":"sleep","is_published":true,"match_reasons":["Title contains controlled term: sleep.","Abstract contains controlled term: sleep.","Source terminology contains: sleep.","Title supplies longevity context: older adult.","Study type is explicitly identified as INTERVENTIONAL."],"matched_fields":["title","abstract","controlled terminology","title context","study type"],"relevance_score":100,"intelligence_topics":{"name":"Sleep","slug":"sleep"}}],"content_sources":{"name":"ClinicalTrials.gov","homepage_url":"https://clinicaltrials.gov/"}},"canonical_url":"https://www.immortal.life/trials/31063","automation_disclosure":"Generated automatically from cited source metadata. No scientist, clinician, researcher, editor, or human reviewer evaluates this publication before release."}