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NCT Number: NCT06926036

Micromanaging Human Sleep Physiology to Treat Sleep Apnea and Other Disorders

This study will examine whether a combination of breathing training during wake and targeted reactivation of the training during sleep can induce breathing changes during sleep and subsequent cognitive benefits during wake.

Participants with obstructive sleep apnea (who have not yet been treated for sleep apnea) will be recruited. Participants will engage in breath training for one week in their own homes and to record their sleep at home using commercially available mobile devices and subsequently have their sleep monitored for one night of polysomnography recordings plus targeted reactivation in a laboratory setting.

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Key information

Conditions

Sleep Apnea Obstructive (OSA) Apnea Dyssomnias Nervous System Diseases Respiration Disorders Respiratory Tract Diseases Sleep Apnea Syndromes Sleep Apnea, Obstructive Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic Sleep Wake Disorders

Age range

18 year–60 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Northwestern University

Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Ken A Paller, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

847-467-3370

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Right-handed, English-speaking adults, 18-60 years old who report normal hearing during sleep
  • Participants with suspected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (including those who have been diagnosed by a physician and those whose self-reported symptoms of OSA on the STOP-BANG questionnaire classify them as being "individuals with intermediate to high risk".
  • No report of any other sleep disorder besides OSA.
  • No report of any neurological or cardiometabolic diseases or disorders.
  • Not currently under active treatment for sleep apnea.
  • BMI ≤ 40.

Treatment and study plan

Wake training + TMR

Behavioral

In this within-participant design, all participants will undergo the same intervention of waking training and TMR.

Waking training - waking training will associate an auditory cue with a specific learned behavioral response (a tongue protrusion and inhalation) during daily sessions for approximately one week, with home sleep monitoring.

TMR - Targeted memory reactivation (TMR) refers to the process of playing learning-associated audio cues quietly during sleep in order to reactivate memories associated with the cue. After completion of waking training, TMR occurs in a laboratory setting, with PSG recording, during a single night.

Primary outcomes

  1. Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI)

    Time frame: Day 1

    AHI indexes the severity of OSA on the night of the study.

  2. Respiratory event duration

    Time frame: Day 1

    The duration of a hypopnea or apnea on the night of the study.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Ken A Paller, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

847-467-3370

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Northwestern University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Apr 13, 2025
Registry last updated
Jul 15, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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