Join the Neurotropy memory study

1 · Study information & consent

What is this study about?

We study how quickly people forget newly learned information and how this relates to brain activity measured with EEG. The results help us develop methods that support learning and memory.

What will I do?

Now (about 10 minutes): this registration form with questions about you, your handedness and your usual sleep.
Lab session (about 30 minutes): a short questionnaire about your sleep and caffeine intake, then an EEG recording with a headband (3 minutes of rest, an 8-minute memory test on a computer, and another 3 minutes of rest).
Online retest (about 5 minutes): 20 to 28 hours after the lab session we send you an email with a link to a short retest of the items you learned.

Are there any risks?

The EEG headband measures electrical activity on the surface of your head. It does not send any current into your body. Some people find the headband slightly uncomfortable after a while; you can ask to stop at any time. The EEG in this study is not a medical examination and cannot detect diseases.

Is taking part voluntary?

Yes. You can stop or withdraw your consent at any time without giving a reason and without any disadvantage. To withdraw, email contact@neurotropy.ai with your participant code. We will then delete your contact data and, on request, your study data. Data that has already been anonymised or included in analyses can no longer be removed.

What data do we collect?

Your email address (only to send you the retest link and, if you choose, information about future studies).
Date of birth, gender, education, native language, eyesight, handedness, usual sleep and chronotype.
Optionally, diagnoses and regular medication.
Per session: sleep, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and medication on that day, sleepiness, EEG recordings, and your answers and reaction times in the memory test and retest.

Your name is not stored. We only use it, together with your date of birth, to calculate your participant code (for example NT-7K3F9QXA), so that you get the same code in the lab without having to remember it. Your study data is stored only under this code (pseudonymised). Your email address is stored separately from your study data.

Who processes the data?

Neurotropy (Henrik Röhr & Samar Angourani) is responsible for the data processing.
hostim.dev (servers in Germany) hosts this website and the study database.
MailerLite (EU) sends the retest emails. It only receives your email address and your retest link.
MemoryLab provides the memory test. It receives your date of birth, education and your test answers, but no name or email address. [Company details and data processing agreement to be added.]

We use the data only for scientific research and for developing our methods. Results are only published in anonymised form, so that no individual person can be identified. Your data is stored for [storage period to be defined, e.g. 10 years] and then deleted or anonymised.

Legal basis and your rights

We process your data based on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) and Art. 9(2)(a) GDPR). You have the right to access, rectify, erase and restrict the processing of your data, the right to data portability, and the right to withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. You can also lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority, for example the Hessian Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (HBDI).

Contact

Neurotropy · Henrik Röhr & Samar Angourani · c/o HIGHEST Innovations- und Gründungszentrum · Karolinenplatz 5 · 64283 Darmstadt · contact@neurotropy.ai

Consent

I am at least 18 years old. I have read and understood the study information above. I know that taking part is voluntary and that I can withdraw at any time without giving a reason. I consent to the processing of my personal data as described above, including health-related data (EEG recordings, sleep, caffeine, alcohol, medication and diagnoses), for the purposes of this study. I agree to receive emails about the follow-up retest of this study. I would like to be informed about future Neurotropy studies (optional).

2 · Your details

Your name and date of birth are used to create your participant code. Your name is not stored. In the lab you enter them again and get the same code.

First name (first given name, as in your ID)

Last name

Date of birth

Email address

Repeat email address

3 · About you

Gender

Female Male Diverse Prefer not to say

Highest completed education

Vocational training Secondary school (university entrance level) Higher vocational education / university of applied sciences University

Native language(s)

Your eyesight

Normal Corrected to normal (glasses / contact lenses) Impaired, even with correction

Have you ever been diagnosed with a neurological or psychiatric condition (e.g. epilepsy, head injury, depression, ADHD)?

No Yes Prefer not to say

If yes and you're comfortable sharing: which? (optional)

Do you regularly take medication that affects the brain or sleep (e.g. antidepressants, sleeping pills, stimulants)?

No Yes Prefer not to say

If yes and you're comfortable sharing: which? (optional)

4 · Handedness

Which hand do you use for the following activities? (Edinburgh Handedness Inventory, short form)

Writing

Always right Usually right Both equally Usually left Always left

Throwing

Always right Usually right Both equally Usually left Always left

Toothbrush

Always right Usually right Both equally Usually left Always left

Spoon

Always right Usually right Both equally Usually left Always left

5 · Your usual sleep

Usual bedtime on work/study days

Usual wake-up time on work/study days

Usual bedtime on free days

Usual wake-up time on free days

6 · Morning or evening person?

Reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ).

Considering only your own 'feeling best' rhythm, at what time would you get up if you were entirely free to plan your day?

5:00 – 6:30 6:30 – 7:45 7:45 – 9:45 9:45 – 11:00 11:00 – 12:00

During the first half hour after waking up in the morning, how tired do you feel?

Very tired Fairly tired Fairly refreshed Very refreshed

At what time in the evening do you feel tired and, as a result, in need of sleep?

20:00 – 21:00 21:00 – 22:15 22:15 – 0:45 0:45 – 2:00 2:00 – 3:00

At what time of day do you think you reach your 'feeling best' peak?

5:00 – 8:00 8:00 – 10:00 10:00 – 17:00 17:00 – 22:00 22:00 – 5:00

One hears about 'morning' and 'evening' types of people. Which one of these types do you consider yourself to be?

Definitely a morning type Rather more a morning than an evening type Rather more an evening than a morning type Definitely an evening type