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Behavioural Intervention

Acoustic Stimulation for Epilepsy

N/A
Waitlist Available
Led By Anli Liu
Research Sponsored by NYU Langone Health
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Additional inclusion criteria for Aim 3: Frequent nocturnal seizures (≥1 per week)
Age 18-60 years old
Must not have
MOCA score <26
Diagnosis of a sleep disorder (sleep apnea, periodic limb movements of sleep, or other medical conditions with frequent arousals)
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up 3 months

Summary

This trialtests if sound waves can reduce seizures and abnormal brain activity during sleep for epilepsy patients. Goal is to use in home for long-term.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for adults aged 18-60 with epilepsy, who experience frequent nocturnal seizures or disturbances in their sleep due to seizure activity. Participants should be fluent in English, have a good cognitive function (MOCA score ≥26), and not be overweight (BMI <30). They shouldn't have hearing issues, sleep disorders, recent travel across time zones, shift work history before the study, or use certain psychoactive medications.
What is being tested?
The study tests low-frequency acoustic stimulation versus sham noise during night-time sleep to see if it can reduce nighttime seizures and related brain activity. The ultimate goal is to create a home-use protocol for people with epilepsy to suppress seizures during sleep.
What are the potential side effects?
Since this trial involves acoustic stimulation which is non-invasive, side effects are expected to be minimal. However, participants may potentially experience discomfort from the sound or disturbance of their normal sleep patterns.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
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I experience seizures at night, at least once a week.
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I am between 18 and 60 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:
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My MOCA score is below 26.
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I have been diagnosed with a sleep disorder.
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I have not had a seizure in the last 24 hours.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~3 months
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 3 months for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Interictal Discharge frequency
Successful System Training
System Adherence
Secondary study objectives
Seizure Control
System Use effect on Features of Sleep

Trial Design

3Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Placebo Group
Group I: Acoustic 1Hz StimulationExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
1 Hz acoustic stimulation applied via headphones and downloadable phone application during sleep every night.
Group II: Baseline Seizure MonitoringActive Control1 Intervention
No use of sound system; Patients record seizures in a diary.
Group III: Sham Background NoisePlacebo Group1 Intervention
Background noise applied via headphones and downloadable phone application during sleep every night.

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

NYU Langone HealthLead Sponsor
1,413 Previous Clinical Trials
855,714 Total Patients Enrolled
26 Trials studying Epilepsy
2,983 Patients Enrolled for Epilepsy
Anli LiuPrincipal InvestigatorNYU Langone Health

Media Library

Acoustic 1Hz Stimulation (Behavioural Intervention) Clinical Trial Eligibility Overview. Trial Name: NCT03198494 — N/A
Epilepsy Research Study Groups: Sham Background Noise, Baseline Seizure Monitoring, Acoustic 1Hz Stimulation
Epilepsy Clinical Trial 2023: Acoustic 1Hz Stimulation Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT03198494 — N/A
Acoustic 1Hz Stimulation (Behavioural Intervention) 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT03198494 — N/A
~4 spots leftby Dec 2025