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The Beneficial Effects of Naps on Motor Learning

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) · NCT04312126

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 18–80 · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Observational
Target enrollment
199
US sites recruiting
1
Study start
March 4, 2021
Record last updated
September 22, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

Background

Memory consolidation is the process by which memories become stable, long-term representations in the brain. Consolidation of a motor skill is dependent upon sleep. Some research shows that daytime naps improve people s motor performance and memory retention. Researchers want to find out how daytime naps may contribute to learning and support consolidation of motor skill memories.

Objective

To learn the role of memory replay during wakeful rest and sleep (naps) in retaining a newly learned skill.

Eligibility

English-speaking adults ages 18 and older with chronic stroke, or healthy, right-handed, English-speaking adults ages 18-35 and 50-80

Design

Participants will be screened with

  • medical history
  • neurological history
  • medicine review
  • medical exam
  • neurological exam.

Participants will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain. For this, they will lie down in a scanner. The scanner makes loud noises, so they will wear earplugs. They will fill out an MRI screening form before each MRI.

Participants will also have magnetoencephalography (MEG). MEG maps brain activity. It does this by recording the magnetic fields produced by naturally occurring electrical currents in the brain. For MEG, participants will lie down in the MEG room. Their eye movements may be recorded by a video camera.

Participants will have behavior testing. They will practice typing random keys. Then they will repeatedly type a custom sequence that they see on a computer screen. Then they will take a 2-hour nap. Then they will type the same sequence again.

Participants will have no more than 4 visits at the NIH over 3 months. Visits will last 2-4 hours each.

Being studied: MRI system; MEG system

Conditions: Stroke

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria
  • HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS:

INCLUSION CRITERIA

  • Age 18-35 (Arm 1) or 50-80 (Arms 2).
  • English speaking.
  • Clear right-hand dominance (>74 on Edinburgh Handedness Inventory).
  • Normal neurological examination as determined by the screening clinician.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

  • HCPS affiliated NIH staff (i.e. - staff from our section).
  • Current pregnancy.
  • Contraindications for MRI or MEG.
  • Use of sleep medications within 24 hours of Experimental Session participation.
  • Severe or progressive neurological, psychological or medical condition as determined by the screening clinician.

STROKE PATIENTS

INCLUSION CRITERIA

  • Age 18 or older
  • Willing and able to provide consent
  • Experienced a stroke 6 months ago or more that affected at least one of the upper extremities at time of stroke diagnosis
  • Ability to perform the study task as assessed during physical examination
  • English-speaking

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

  • HCPS-affiliated NIH staff (i.e. - staff from our section).
  • Current pregnancy
  • History of large stroke lesions in brainstem or cerebellum as determined by screening clinician
  • Severe or progressive neurological disorder other than stroke (e.g., Parkinson s disease or multiple sclerosis) as determined by the screening clinician
  • Uncontrolled heart, lung, kidney, gastrointestinal, metabolic, psychiatric, sleep, or endocrine disorders as determined by the screening clinician
  • Contraindications for MRI or MEG.

Recruiting US locations

  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

    Bethesda, MD 20892

    Site contact: For more information at the NIH Clinical Center contact Office of Patient Recruitment (OPR) · 800-411-1222 · prpl@cc.nih.gov

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Catherine L Blumhorst, C.R.N.P. · (301) 451-1335 · cathy.blumhorst@nih.gov
  • Leonardo G Cohen, M.D. · (301) 496-9782 · cohenl1@mail.nih.gov
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The Beneficial Effects of Naps on Motor Learning (NCT04312126) | Bored Studies