NCT07224191

Brief Summary

The objective of this study is to determine how visuomotor exploration relates to hippocampal activity along its long axis. The study will investigate the neurophysiological mechanisms in the hippocampus during (1) visual exploration in surgical patients using high-resolution iEEG, and (2) ambulatory exploration in patients implanted with RNS devices.

Trial Health

77
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
56

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable

Timeline
29mo left

Started Feb 2026

Typical duration for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress9%
Feb 2026Oct 2028

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

October 31, 2025

Completed
4 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

November 4, 2025

Completed
4 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

February 25, 2026

Completed
2.6 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

October 8, 2028

Expected
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

October 8, 2028

Last Updated

February 27, 2026

Status Verified

February 1, 2026

Enrollment Period

2.6 years

First QC Date

October 31, 2025

Last Update Submit

February 26, 2026

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (8)

  • Hippocampal Theta Power Under High Cognitive Loads

    Aims 1 and 2. High cognitive loads defined as visual exploration of a complex scene with goal-driven task.

    Study Visit (Day 1)

  • Hippocampal Theta Power Under Medium Cognitive Loads

    Aims 1 and 2. Medium cognitive loads defined as visual exploration of a simpler scene with fewer objects.

    Study Visit (Day 1)

  • Hippocampal Theta Power Under Low Cognitive Loads

    Aims 1 and 2. Low cognitive loads defined as visual exploration of moving dots.

    Study Visit (Day 1)

  • Hippocampal Theta Power Under No Cognitive Loads

    Aims 1 and 2. Low cognitive loads defined as staring at a blank field of view or REM sleep.

    Study Visit (Day 1)

  • Coherence Time-Locked to the Saccade Under High Cognitive Loads

    Aims 1 and 2. High cognitive loads defined as visual exploration of a complex scene with goal-driven task.

    Study Visit (Day 1)

  • Coherence Time-Locked to the Saccade Under Medium Cognitive Loads

    Aims 1 and 2. Medium cognitive loads defined as visual exploration of a simpler scene with fewer objects.

    Study Visit (Day 1)

  • Coherence Time-Locked to the Saccade Under Low Cognitive Loads

    Aims 1 and 2. Low cognitive loads defined as staring at a blank field of view or REM sleep.

    Study Visit (Day 1)

  • Coherence Time-Locked to the Saccade Under No Cognitive Loads

    Aims 1 and 2. Low cognitive loads defined as staring at a blank field of view or REM sleep.

    Study Visit (Day 1)

Study Arms (3)

Epilepsy Surgery Patients

EXPERIMENTAL

Aim 1: Participants will be presented with between 10-15 unique immersive virtual environments (depending on patient tolerance) for patients to explore using VR glasses. Control tasks will be run to account for eye movements during non-navigation. For recording eye movements in darkness during REM sleep, as part of a control task, 4 electrodes will be placed above and below both eyes, a standard technique in polysomnographic studies.

Other: Visual Exploration

Patients with RNS Devices

EXPERIMENTAL

Aim 2: Participants will walk between 4-6 rooms within an office floor. Each office will contain generic objects (office furniture, computers, lighting) and unique objects (artwork, photographs, books, and personal items). As control conditions, subjects will first be asked to walk around and between two empty rooms under different lighting conditions and speeds. Participants will also be asked to participate in all awake saccade control conditions (without a visual cognitive load).

Other: Ambulatory Exploration

Healthy Control Participants

EXPERIMENTAL

Aim 2: Participants will walk between 4-6 rooms within an office floor. Each office will contain generic objects (office furniture, computers, lighting) and unique objects (artwork, photographs, books, and personal items). As control conditions, subjects will first be asked to walk around and between two empty rooms under different lighting conditions and speeds. Participants will also be asked to participate in all awake saccade control conditions (without a visual cognitive load).

Other: Ambulatory Exploration

Interventions

Series of cognitive tasks completed during a study visit.

Healthy Control ParticipantsPatients with RNS Devices

Cognitive testing while admitted to the epilepsy monitoring unit (number of sessions will vary depending on patient availability and stamina).

Epilepsy Surgery Patients

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 70 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • All subjects:
  • Adults (18-70 years)
  • Able to provide informed consent
  • Implanted hippocampal depth electrodes for Stage 1 epilepsy surgery
  • IQ=\>80\*
  • Implanted RNS device with at least one hippocampal depth electrode
  • At least 5 months post-implantation to avoid the post-implant effect
  • Have a relatively low number of seizures, defined as =\<1 debilitating seizure per week
  • Able to walk and wear research equipment without assistance
  • IQ\>=80

You may not qualify if:

  • RNS patients, Aim 2:
  • Any generalized tonic-clonic seizure(s) within the last year
  • All subjects:
  • Legally blind
  • Smoking tobacco, marijuana, recreational drugs or alcohol use within 1 week of cognitive testing
  • Unable to give informed consent
  • Pregnancy

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

NYU Langone Health

New York, New York, 10016, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Epilepsy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain DiseasesCentral Nervous System DiseasesNervous System Diseases

Study Officials

  • Anli Liu, MD, MA

    NYU Langone Health

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
NON RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
BASIC SCIENCE
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

October 31, 2025

First Posted

November 4, 2025

Study Start

February 25, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

October 8, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

October 8, 2028

Last Updated

February 27, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share

The study will upload data into openneuro.org or comparable neuroscience data sharing platform, with data uploaded on a basis as specified by the conditions of awards supporting this research.

Shared Documents
STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP
Time Frame
Beginning 9 months and ending 36 months following article publication or as required by a condition of awards and agreements supporting the research.
Access Criteria
Requests should be directed to anli.liu@nyulangone.org. To gain access, data requestors will need to sign a data access agreement. This instance of data sharing will also require separate IRB review as well as review from NYU Langone's DSSB.

Locations