ConductCognition

  • Domains

    Tests

    • Processing speed43
    • Attention113
    • Working memory50
    • Executive function143
    • Episodic memory72
    • Response inhibition9
    • Social cognition75
    • Language42

    Most used

    Evidence

    1. Verbal Fluency TestGradeA
    2. Stroop Color-Word TestGradeA
    3. Trail Making TestGradeA
    4. N-Back TaskGradeA
    5. Go/No-Go TaskGradeA
    6. Digit Span TestGradeA
    7. Symbol Coding TestGradeA
    8. Verbal Learning TestGradeA
    REDTry it nowStroop Color-Word Test
    All 547 tests

    Browse by

    • Phone290
    • Tablet323
    • Untimed326
    • Up to 5 minutes69
    • Evidence grade A40

  • First studies

    Grade, length

    • Reaction Time StudyGradeA7 min
    • Pilot ScreeningGradeA15 min
    • Medication StudiesGradeA−26 min
    • Language-Minimized ScreeningGradeA−30 min

    Age groups

    • Older Adult Executive SpeedGradeA20 min
    • School-AgeGradeA−33 min

    Memory

    • At-Home MemoryGradeA26 min
    • Working Memory and LearningGradeA−19 min
    • Associative MemoryGradeB32 min
    • Working Memory CapacityGradeB34 min

    Language and perception

    • LanguageGradeA−33 min
    • Visual PerceptionGradeB27 min
    • Listening and Auditory ProcessingGradeB31 min

    Executive function and attention

    • Executive ControlGradeA18 min
    • Attention and ImpulsivityGradeA−26 min
    • Visual AttentionGradeB27 min
    • Creativity and Flexible ThinkingGradeB30 min
    • Reasoning and SpatialGradeB32 min

    Movement

    • Motor and AttentionGradeA−29 min
    • Motor LearningGradeB34 min

    Behavior, mood and choice

    • Food Choice and Self-ControlGradeA−29 min
    • Sleep and FatigueGradeB23 min
    • Social CognitionGradeB23 min
    • Impulsivity and Substance UseGradeB26 min
    • Emotion and MoodGradeB28 min
    • Decisions and RewardGradeB29 min
    All 26 batteries

    Find one

    Up to 15 minutes2Up to 30 minutes19Phone8
    Test order labBattery gradesHow batteries work

  • Use and evidence

    • Overview
    • Compare all 547 tests
    • Test-retest
    • Reliability and validity
    • Battery grades26
    • Download and cite

    Clinical trials

    • Overview
    • By condition25
    • By test101
    • Trial design benchmark
    • Cognitive outcomes, 2026

    Conditions

    Registered studies

    • Dementia and Alzheimer's1,673
    • Aging, frailty and exercise1,398
    • Depression and bipolar disorder1,247
    • Stroke1,233
    • Substance use and addiction895
    • Parkinson's disease892
    • Cancer760
    All 25 conditions
    16,361Registered studies name a cognitive test in an outcome measure11,688 name a test you can run hereExplore the studies
  • 1

    Build

    • Study design
    • Customize tests
    • Repeat visits
    • Study cost calculator
    2

    Recruit

    • Recruitment setup
    • Prolific
    • Sona Systems
    • CloudResearch Connect
    • Qualtrics
    3

    Run

    • Remote testing
    • Participant devices
    • Phone timing check
    • Offline edition
    4

    Results

    • Automated scoring
    • Test norms
    • Study Quality Monitor
    • Data export
    Platform overview

    Compliance

    • HIPAA-ready testing
    • US clinical research
    • Data Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

  • Research areas

    Tests used in each

    • Aging and dementia188
    • Decisions and reward105
    • Child development and education87
    • Language and bilingualism64
    • Social behavior62
    • Psychiatric groups35
    • Training and intervention28
    • Mood, anxiety and trauma25
    • Substance use and impulsivity25
    • Neurological and movement research19
    • Brain injury and concussion14
    • Sleep and fatigue14
    • ADHD11
    • Eating and obesity8
    • Medication and drug trials8

    Research settings

    • Student participant pools
    • Teaching a class
    • Clinical trials
    • US clinical research
    • Sites without internet
    Planning a study?

  • Methods

    • How evidence grades work
    • How test batteries work
    • How test order works
    Methods and questions

    Help

    • FAQ
    • Recruitment guides
    • Compare platforms

    Updates

    • Blog
    • New tests by email
    Latest post10 November 2026What you can do in ConductCognition todayA short tour of ConductCognition as it stands on 10 November. After this, we'll post when something changes how you run a study.Read the post
  • Pricing
Start Free
Log In
Log InStart Free
  1. Home
  2. /Data
  3. /Clinical trials
  4. /Conditions
  5. /Aging, frailty and exercise
  6. /N-Back Task

Clinical trials data

N-Back Task in aging, frailty and exercise trials: 68 registered studies

Every registered aging, frailty and exercise study on ClinicalTrials.gov that names the N-Back Task in an outcome measure: how often it is a primary outcome, the tests named with it, how large the studies are and when they measure it.

Registered aging, frailty and exercise studies name it in an outcome measure
68
Name it in a primary outcome, 57%
39 of 68
Of the condition's 1,398 studies name it, against 5% of all registered studies
5%
Other conditions
Median participants per study
68
By phase
Try the 1-Back TaskTry the 2-Back Task

Tests named in the same studies

The library tests that aging, frailty and exercise studies naming the N-Back Task name most often beside it.
  1. 1

    Stroop Color-Word Test17 studies, 13 as a primary outcome

  2. 2

    Trail Making Test13 studies, 6 as a primary outcome

  3. 3

    Symbol Coding12 studies, 3 as a primary outcome

  4. 4

    Eriksen Flanker Task10 studies, 4 as a primary outcome

  5. 5

    Digit Span Test9 studies, 5 as a primary outcome

  6. 6

    Task Switching Test8 studies, 6 as a primary outcome

  7. 7

    Verbal Learning8 studies, 3 as a primary outcome

  8. 8

    Go/No-Go Task6 studies, 3 as a primary outcome

  9. 9

    Pattern and Letter Comparison6 studies, 2 as a primary outcome

  10. 10

    Size Order Memory Test6 studies, 2 as a primary outcome

A test as a primary outcomeOnly in secondary or other outcomes

Studies by start year

Each study counted once. 2026 is partly planned starts.
02000: 0 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome20002001: 0 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome2002: 1 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome2003: 0 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome2004: 0 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome2005: 0 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome20052006: 0 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome2007: 0 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome2008: 1 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome2009: 0 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome2010: 0 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome20102011: 0 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome2012: 1 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome2013: 0 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome2014: 2 studies, 0 with a test as a primary outcome2015: 5 studies, 2 with a test as a primary outcome20152016: 1 studies, 1 with a test as a primary outcome2017: 1 studies, 1 with a test as a primary outcome2018: 6 studies, 4 with a test as a primary outcome2019: 5 studies, 2 with a test as a primary outcome2020: 2 studies, 2 with a test as a primary outcome20202021: 7 studies, 4 with a test as a primary outcome2022: 11 studies, 9 with a test as a primary outcome2023: 9 studies, 4 with a test as a primary outcome2024: 5 studies, 3 with a test as a primary outcome2025: 4 studies, 2 with a test as a primary outcome20252026: 6 studies, 4 with a test as a primary outcome

A test as a primary outcomeOnly in secondary or other outcomes

Show as a table
Registered studies by start year
Start yearStudiesA test as a primary outcome
200000
200100
200210
200300
200400
200500
200600
200700
200810
200900
201000
201100
201210
201300
201420
201552
201611
201711
201864
201952
202022
202174
2022119
202394
202453
202542
202664

Phases and study sizes

By phase

  • Early phase 11 studies, 1 as a primary outcome
  • Phase 13 studies, 1 as a primary outcome
  • Phase 1/21 studies, 1 as a primary outcome
  • Phase 21 studies, 1 as a primary outcome
  • Phase 2/31 studies, 1 as a primary outcome
  • Phase 41 studies, 1 as a primary outcome
  • Not applicable56 studies, 31 as a primary outcome
  • Observational4 studies, 2 as a primary outcome

Participants per study

102050100
  • Not applicable70 median, 33 to 119
Participants per study. The bar spans the middle half of the studies in each phase, the mark is the median, and the axis is logarithmic. Phases with fewer than 10 studies that give a size are left out.
Show as a table
Participants per aging, frailty and exercise study that names the N-Back Task, by phase
PhaseStudies with a sizeMedianMiddle half
Not applicable557033 to 119

When aging, frailty and exercise trials measure it

Half of the primary outcomes that name the N-Back Task are measured within 8 weeks of the start, and the middle half from 1 week to 6 months. 37 primary outcomes give a duration.

Latest time point of each outcome

  • Within a day16 outcomes, 8 as a primary outcome
  • Up to 4 weeks8 outcomes, 6 as a primary outcome
  • 1 to 3 months17 outcomes, 9 as a primary outcome
  • 3 to 6 months10 outcomes, 5 as a primary outcome
  • 6 to 12 months10 outcomes, 7 as a primary outcome
  • 1 to 2 years1 outcomes, 0 as a primary outcome
  • Over 2 years3 outcomes, 2 as a primary outcome
  • No duration given3 outcomes, 2 as a primary outcome

A test as a primary outcomeOnly in secondary or other outcomes

65 of the 68 outcome measures give a duration. A single visit counts as within a day.

Status, results, interventions and countries

Status

  • Recruiting7 studies, 2 as a primary outcome
  • Not yet recruiting4 studies, 4 as a primary outcome
  • Active, not recruiting2 studies, 1 as a primary outcome
  • Completed44 studies, 26 as a primary outcome
  • Stopped early2 studies, 1 as a primary outcome
  • Status unknown9 studies, 5 as a primary outcome

What they test

  • Behavioral31 studies, 19 as a primary outcome
  • Drug8 studies, 5 as a primary outcome
  • Device10 studies, 6 as a primary outcome
  • Dietary supplement5 studies, 2 as a primary outcome
  • Biological1 studies, 0 as a primary outcome
  • Radiation1 studies, 1 as a primary outcome
  • Other20 studies, 9 as a primary outcome
  • None given2 studies, 2 as a primary outcome

Intervention types as registered. A study can list several; observational studies often list none.

Where their sites are

  • United States26 studies, 13 as a primary outcome
  • Canada6 studies, 2 as a primary outcome
  • Netherlands4 studies, 3 as a primary outcome
  • Spain4 studies, 2 as a primary outcome
  • China3 studies, 2 as a primary outcome
  • Czechia3 studies, 2 as a primary outcome
  • Germany3 studies, 1 as a primary outcome
  • Hong Kong2 studies, 0 as a primary outcome
  • Singapore2 studies, 2 as a primary outcome
  • Sweden2 studies, 1 as a primary outcome
  • Brazil1 studies, 0 as a primary outcome
  • Chile1 studies, 1 as a primary outcome

20 countries in all. A study with sites in several counts in each; 4 list no site.

Reported results

Completed studies with results posted on ClinicalTrials.gov, a results paper the registry links to the study, or both.

Completed aging, frailty and exercise studies that name the N-Back Task: 20 of 44, 45%

Every completed study with a cognitive outcome: 3,626 of 7,953, 46%

Completed aging, frailty and exercise studies that name the N-Back Task and every completed study, by how they reported results
ResultsCompleted aging, frailty and exercise studies that name the N-Back TaskEvery completed study
Results on ClinicalTrials.gov and a paper0, 0%776, 10%
Results on ClinicalTrials.gov only4, 9%1,139, 14%
A results paper only16, 36%1,711, 22%
Neither24, 55%4,327, 54%

The 68 studies

Filter by phase, sponsor, status, country, intervention, outcome list, size and start year. Each study links to its record on ClinicalTrials.gov.
ConditionAging, frailty and exercise
TestThe N-Back Task

68 studies match. 39 name the N-Back Task in a primary outcome. Median size 68 participants. Median time to the primary outcome: 8 weeks.

Loading 68 studies; the filters turn on when they arrive.

By start year
0510152000: 0 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome20002001: 0 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2002: 1 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2003: 0 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2004: 0 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2005: 0 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome20052006: 0 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2007: 0 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2008: 1 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2009: 0 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2010: 0 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome20102011: 0 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2012: 1 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2013: 0 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2014: 2 studies, 0 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2015: 5 studies, 2 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome20152016: 1 studies, 1 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2017: 1 studies, 1 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2018: 6 studies, 4 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2019: 5 studies, 2 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2020: 2 studies, 2 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome20202021: 7 studies, 4 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2022: 11 studies, 9 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2023: 9 studies, 4 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2024: 5 studies, 3 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome2025: 4 studies, 2 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome20252026: 6 studies, 4 naming the N-Back Task in a primary outcome

2026 is partly planned starts. Not shown: 1 planned to start after 2026.

Show as a table
Matching studies by start year
Start yearStudiesAs a primary outcome
200000
200100
200210
200300
200400
200500
200600
200700
200810
200900
201000
201100
201210
201300
201420
201552
201611
201711
201864
201952
202022
202174
2022119
202394
202453
202542
202664

Library tests named most

  • N-Back Task68 studies, 39 as a primary outcome
  • Stroop Color-Word Test17 studies, 13 as a primary outcome
  • Trail Making Test13 studies, 6 as a primary outcome
  • Symbol Coding12 studies, 3 as a primary outcome
  • Eriksen Flanker Task10 studies, 4 as a primary outcome
  • Digit Span Test9 studies, 5 as a primary outcome
  • Task Switching Test8 studies, 6 as a primary outcome
  • Verbal Learning8 studies, 3 as a primary outcome
  • Go/No-Go Task6 studies, 3 as a primary outcome
  • Pattern and Letter Comparison6 studies, 2 as a primary outcome

Conditions

  • Aging, frailty and exercise68 studies, 39 as a primary outcome
  • Healthy volunteers6 studies, 5 as a primary outcome
  • Mild cognitive impairment5 studies, 2 as a primary outcome
  • Dementia and Alzheimer's4 studies, 4 as a primary outcome
  • Depression and bipolar disorder3 studies, 1 as a primary outcome
  • Obesity and diabetes3 studies, 2 as a primary outcome
  • Pain and fatigue2 studies, 0 as a primary outcome
  • Stroke1 study, 1 as a primary outcome
  • Sleep and sleep disorders1 study, 0 as a primary outcome
  • Anxiety, PTSD and OCD1 study, 0 as a primary outcome
  • Hearing loss1 study, 1 as a primary outcome

Phases

Participants

Lead sponsor: industry 3, other 65. Interventional 64, observational 4.

As a primary outcomeSecondary or other outcomeThe N-Back Task

The studies, newest registration first

Each number opens the study's record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Registered studies that match the filters, newest registration first, with the library tests each one names and the outcome list that names them.
StudyStartPhaseConditionsParticipantsLead sponsorStatusLibrary tests named, with the latest time point
NCT07861867Start2027PhasePhase 2ConditionsStroke, Aging, frailty and exerciseParticipants60Lead sponsorOtherStatusNot yet recruitingLibrary tests named
  • N-Back TaskPrimary6 months
  • Dimensional Change Card SortSecondary6 months
  • Vocabulary TestSecondary6 months
  • Size Order Memory TestSecondary6 months
  • Pattern and Letter ComparisonSecondary6 months
  • Picture Order Memory TestSecondary6 months
NCT07809750Start2026PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants700Lead sponsorOtherStatusNot yet recruitingLibrary tests named
  • Stroop Color-Word TestPrimarysame day
  • N-Back TaskPrimarysame day
NCT07749144Start2026PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants120Lead sponsorOtherStatusCompletedLibrary tests named
  • N-Back TaskPrimary8 weeks
  • Eriksen Flanker TaskPrimary8 weeks
  • Task Switching TestPrimary8 weeks
NCT07710339Start2026PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants30Lead sponsorOtherStatusNot yet recruitingLibrary tests named
  • N-Back TaskPrimary3 weeks
  • Task Switching TestPrimary3 weeks
NCT07695246Start2026PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exercise, Sleep and sleep disordersParticipants183Lead sponsorOtherStatusRecruitingLibrary tests named
  • N-Back TaskSecondary6 months
  • Card Sorting Test (Berg)Secondary6 months
  • Psychomotor Vigilance TaskSecondary6 months
  • Stop-Signal TaskSecondary6 months
NCT07560904Start2026PhaseNot applicableConditionsMild cognitive impairment, Aging, frailty and exerciseParticipants70Lead sponsorOtherStatusRecruitingLibrary tests named
  • N-Back TaskSecondarysame day
NCT07443189Start2021PhaseNot applicableConditionsHealthy volunteers, Aging, frailty and exerciseParticipants233Lead sponsorOtherStatusCompleted

Paper

Library tests named
  • Digit Span TestPrimary6 months
  • N-Back TaskPrimary6 months
  • Continuous Performance TestPrimary6 months
  • Picture Naming TestPrimary6 months
  • Eriksen Flanker TaskPrimary6 months
  • Task Switching TestPrimary6 months
  • AX Continuous Performance TestWording unclear
  • Attention Network TestPrimary6 months
  • Posner CueingPrimary6 months
NCT07209683Start2025PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants30Lead sponsorOtherStatusRecruitingLibrary tests named
  • Symbol CodingPrimary4 weeks
  • N-Back TaskSecondary4 weeks
  • Dimensional Change Card SortPrimary4 weeks
  • Size Order Memory TestPrimary4 weeks
  • Pattern and Letter ComparisonPrimary4 weeks
NCT07173543Start2025PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exercise, Obesity and diabetesParticipants80Lead sponsorOtherStatusRecruitingLibrary tests named
  • N-Back TaskPrimary8 weeks
NCT06991764Start2025PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants120Lead sponsorOtherStatusNot yet recruitingLibrary tests named
  • Stroop Color-Word TestPrimary4 days
  • N-Back TaskPrimary4 days
  • Go/No-Go TaskPrimary4 days
NCT06817681Start2025PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants32Lead sponsorOtherStatusActive, not recruitingLibrary tests named
  • Stroop Color-Word TestPrimarysame day
  • N-Back TaskSecondarysame day
NCT06704425Start2024PhaseObservationalConditionsAging, frailty and exercise, Pain and fatigueParticipants80Lead sponsorOtherStatusStatus unknownLibrary tests named
  • Stroop Color-Word TestSecondarysame day
  • N-Back TaskSecondarysame day
  • Go/No-Go TaskSecondarysame day
  • Card Sorting Test (Berg)Secondarysame day
  • Task Switching TestSecondarysame day
NCT06703424Start2024PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants23Lead sponsorOtherStatusCompletedLibrary tests named
  • Stroop Color-Word TestPrimary
  • N-Back TaskPrimary
NCT06700187Start2024PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants33Lead sponsorOtherStatusRecruitingLibrary tests named
  • Stroop Color-Word TestSecondarysame day
  • N-Back TaskSecondarysame day
NCT06563453Start2022PhaseNot applicableConditionsDementia and Alzheimer's, Mild cognitive impairment, Aging, frailty and exerciseParticipants55Lead sponsorOtherStatusCompleted

Paper

Library tests named
  • N-Back TaskPrimary3.5 years
NCT06491264Start2026PhaseNot applicableConditionsHealthy volunteers, Aging, frailty and exerciseParticipantsNot givenLead sponsorOtherStatusStopped earlyLibrary tests named
  • N-Back TaskPrimary12 months
NCT06254638Start2023PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants900Lead sponsorOtherStatusStatus unknownLibrary tests named
  • N-Back TaskSecondary6 months
  • Eriksen Flanker TaskSecondary6 months
NCT06235840Start2018PhaseNot applicableConditionsDementia and Alzheimer's, Aging, frailty and exerciseParticipants117Lead sponsorOtherStatusCompleted

Paper

Library tests named
  • Stroop Color-Word TestPrimary4 weeks
  • Digit Span TestSecondary4 weeks
  • Symbol CodingSecondary4 weeks
  • N-Back TaskPrimary4 weeks
  • Matrix ReasoningSecondary4 weeks
  • Operation SpanPrimary4 weeks
NCT06019195Start2024PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants32Lead sponsorOtherStatusCompletedLibrary tests named
  • N-Back TaskPrimary6 months
  • Dimensional Change Card SortSecondary6 months
  • Vocabulary TestSecondary6 months
  • Size Order Memory TestSecondary6 months
  • Pattern and Letter ComparisonSecondary6 months
  • Picture Order Memory TestSecondary6 months
NCT05974605Start2022PhaseNot applicableConditionsHealthy volunteers, Aging, frailty and exerciseParticipants16Lead sponsorOtherStatusCompletedLibrary tests named
  • Verbal LearningPrimary10 weeks
  • Symbol CodingPrimary10 weeks
  • N-Back TaskPrimary10 weeks
  • Task Switching TestPrimary10 weeks
  • Short Story RecallPrimary10 weeks
  • Matrix ReasoningPrimary10 weeks
  • Size Order Memory TestPrimary10 weeks
  • Picture Order Memory TestPrimary10 weeks
  • Mnemonic Similarity TaskPrimary10 weeks
NCT05891054Start2023PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants292Lead sponsorOtherStatusCompleted

Paper 1Paper 2

Library tests named
  • N-Back TaskSecondary6 months
  • Eriksen Flanker TaskSecondary6 months
NCT05861726Start2023PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants38Lead sponsorOtherStatusStatus unknownLibrary tests named
  • Stroop Color-Word TestPrimarysame day
  • N-Back TaskPrimarysame day
  • Stop-Signal TaskPrimarysame day
NCT05801042Start2023PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants91Lead sponsorOtherStatusCompleted

Paper 1Paper 2

Library tests named
  • Trail Making TestSecondary6 weeks
  • Verbal LearningSecondary6 weeks
  • Symbol CodingSecondary6 weeks
  • N-Back TaskSecondary6 weeks
  • Pattern and Letter ComparisonSecondary6 weeks
NCT05777863Start2022PhaseNot applicableConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants102Lead sponsorOtherStatusCompleted

Paper 1Paper 2

Library tests named
  • Trail Making TestSecondary6 months
  • Verbal LearningSecondary6 months
  • Verbal FluencySecondary6 months
  • Digit Span TestSecondary6 months
  • Symbol CodingSecondary6 months
  • N-Back TaskPrimary6 months
NCT05722860Start2024PhasePhase 1ConditionsAging, frailty and exerciseParticipants20Lead sponsorOtherStatusCompletedLibrary tests named
  • N-Back TaskPrimary1 week

Page 1 of 3

Questions, answered from the data

How many aging, frailty and exercise trials use the N-Back Task?

68 registered aging, frailty and exercise studies on ClinicalTrials.gov name it in an outcome measure, 39 of them in a primary outcome: 5% of the condition's 1,398 studies with a cognitive outcome, against 5% of all of them. It is the 7th most named test in aging, frailty and exercise trials.

Which tests do aging, frailty and exercise trials use with the N-Back Task?

The Stroop Color-Word Test (17 studies), the Trail Making Test (13 studies) and Symbol Coding (12 studies).

When do aging, frailty and exercise trials measure the N-Back Task?

Half of the primary outcomes that name the N-Back Task are measured within 8 weeks of the start, and the middle half from 1 week to 6 months. 37 primary outcomes give a duration.

How many completed aging, frailty and exercise trials that use the N-Back Task have reported results?

20 of the 44 completed studies that name it, 45%, have reported results: 4 posted them on ClinicalTrials.gov, 16 have a results paper linked to the registry record, and 0 did both. The other 24 show neither. Of all completed studies with a cognitive outcome, 46% have reported results.

More on the N-Back Task and aging, frailty and exercise

  • Every cognitive test in aging, frailty and exercise trials: 1,398 studies
  • The N-Back Task in all clinical trials: 790 studies

The N-Back Task in other conditions

  • Depression and bipolar disorder79
  • Substance use and addiction68
  • Schizophrenia and psychosis66
  • Healthy volunteers51
  • Sleep and sleep disorders51

Other tests in aging, frailty and exercise trials

  • Trail Making Test255
  • Stroop Color-Word Test230
  • Verbal Fluency136
  • Digit Span Test129
  • Verbal Learning128
  • Symbol Coding116

How the studies are counted

For each test family, the census runs ClinicalTrials.gov's own outcome search for the family's names and reads every study first posted by the day the family was counted. These studies were read on 10 November 2026. A study counts once on a page, however many tests it names. Counts for a test cover every version of the task under any of its names, so a page can count studies that used a commercial version.

The census adds two things to each record and changes nothing in it: which outcome list names the test (primary, then secondary, then other), and the condition groups, matched on the study's condition names and MeSH terms. A study can fall in several groups; one whose only condition is cognitive impairment or decline falls in “Cognitive impairment and decline”. Studies that name only instruments outside the library count in every total and share but are not listed.

A second read on 10 November 2026 added each study's overall status, whether results are posted, its intervention types, the countries of its sites and the time frame of the outcome that names each test. A time frame counts by the latest time point it names: “Baseline, 12 and 24 weeks” is 24 weeks, a single visit is within a day, and one that names no duration, such as “end of treatment”, is left out of the timings.

A third read on 10 November 2026 added the papers the registry links to each study: those its sponsor lists as reporting results, and those PubMed links to it through the study's NCT number. A study has a results paper when one of them came out in or after the month of its primary completion and PubMed does not class it as a protocol, review or comment. A paper that never gives the NCT number is not linked, so some studies counted as reporting neither did publish.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, which does not endorse these pages. Every study line is in the data release 2.1.0, and the explorer's own file is clinical-trials-studies.json.

The census counts 1-Back Task and 2-Back Task as one test family, so this page counts their studies together.

Run the N-Back Task in your trial

Choose tests with a record in registered trials, and run them in a browser at every site, on the same version each visit.

Start free
ConductCognition

Hosted browser-native cognitive testing for academic and commercial research workflows.

A product of ConductScience, Inc.

New tests and features, about once a month. Unsubscribe at any time.

Tests

  • All cognitive tests
  • Test batteries
  • Use and evidence
  • Test norms
  • Trail Making Test
  • N-Back Task
  • Automated scoring
  • Study design
  • New tests by email

Guides

  • Methods and questions
  • Blog
  • Recruitment setup
  • Participant devices
  • Prolific
  • Sona Systems
  • CloudResearch Connect
  • Qualtrics

Use cases

  • Student participant pools
  • Aging and dementia research
  • Clinical trials
  • US clinical research
  • Remote testing

Compare and buy

  • Pricing
  • Compare platforms
  • Offline edition
  • FAQ

Trust

  • Study Quality Monitor
  • HIPAA-ready testing
  • Data export
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Data Policy

Company

  • ConductScience
  • Affiliate Program
© 2026 ConductScience, Inc. Research use only.