Predicting Future Errors During Skill Performance

NCT06707207 | Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: 10002017002017-N
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Background: Many tasks people do every day require a series of individual movements. Control over these movements is called motor skills. But even highly skilled people can make mistakes. Researchers have found that they can predict when a person will make a mistake 0.1 second before it happens. Now, they want to find out if they can increase that time up to 1 second-long enough to warn the person and prevent the mistake. Objective: To see if motor skill errors can be detected up to 1 second before they occur. Eligibility: Right-handed healthy adults aged 18 to 35. Design: Participants will have 2 to 5 study visits. Each visit will be 1 to 2 hours. They will have a physical and neurological exam. They will have 1 or 2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. They will lie on a table that slides into a large cylinder. The MRI uses strong magnets to capture images of the inside of the body, including the brain. They will have another scan, called magnetoencephalography (MEG). Small metal disks attached to wires will be taped to their head. Participants will sit in a padded chair with their head inside of a helmet. The helmet will not cover their eyes or face. Participants will perform a series of typing tasks on a keyboard. They will have short breaks between each round. Their head movements will be tracked, and their eye and finger movements will be videotaped.

Conditions

Healthy

Keywords

Healthy; Brain; Motor Skill

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• To detect future skill errors up to approximately 1 s before they occur

  We measure prediction performance by contrasting predicted probability of future errors against their behavioral performance. To predict future errors, we will evaluate how brain activity preceding an error differs from the preceding correct sequence keypresses. We will also explore the feasibility of providing feedback signal to the participant when brain activity encodes future errors in real-time.

  60 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• We will evaluate preparatory neural activity features for upcoming skill actions, correct and erroneous keypresses, during skill learning as well as neural replay associated with both correct and erroneous keypresses and skill performance.

  60 months

Study Arms (1)

Healthy

Healthy young volunteers

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy young volunteers.

You may qualify if:

• In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:
• Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study
• Male or female, aged 18-35
• In good general health as evidenced by medical history and normal neurological examination as determined by the screening clinician
• English speaking
• Right-handedness as reported by participant
• Ability of subject to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document

You may not qualify if:

• An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:
• HCPS-affiliated NIH staff (i.e. - staff from our section)
• Current pregnancy
• Contraindications for MRI, or MEG
• Severe or progressive neurological, psychological or medical condition as determined by the medical history review or physical and neurological exam.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS): lead

Study Sites (1)

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

RECRUITING

Related Links

• NIH Clinical Center Detailed Web Page

Study Officials

• Leonardo G Cohen, M.D.

  National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Catherine L Blumhorst, C.R.N.P.

CONTACT

(301) 451-1335; cathy.blumhorst@nih.gov

Leonardo G Cohen, M.D.

CONTACT

(301) 496-9782; cohenl1@mail.nih.gov

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: NIH
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 23, 2024
• First Posted: November 27, 2024
• Study Start (Estimated): April 21, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2029
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2029
• Last Updated: April 16, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-06-30

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
• Time Frame: See data management and sharing plan.
• Access Criteria: See data management and sharing plan.

Locations

US (1)