Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory

Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory

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Docs: Movie Paradigm Protocol

Updated on June 16, 2026
Table of contents

Behavioral task epoch overview #

Stimulation version #

Note on presentation order #

  • The order that the Merlin and 24 videos/memory tests will be shown will switch between participants
  • Any pre-sleep memory tests will take place straight after the corresponding video watch.
  • The order of morning memory tests will follow the order that the episodes were viewed.

Task epochs run #

  • Merlin video watch
  • Merlin memory
    • free recall
    • recognition memory
    • cued recall
  • Movie engagement questionnaire
  • 24 video watch
  • 24 memory
    • free recall
    • recognition memory
    • cued recall
  • Movie engagement questionnaire
  • Sleepiness scale
  • Sleep report (start)
  • Sleep
  • Sleep report (end)
  • Sleepiness scale
  • Merlin memory
    • free recall
    • recognition memory
    • cued recall
  • 24 memory
    • free recall
    • recognition memory
    • cued recall

NOTE: no concept fixation will be run for 24 during stimulation experiments.

Concept video version #

The below epochs typically occur in a fixed order, with concept video shown first.

  • Non-24 video watch (aka “control” or “concept” video)
  • Non-24 free recall
  • 24 video watch
  • 24 free recall
  • 24 recognition memory task
  • 24 cued recall
  • Sleep
  • 24 free recall
  • 24 recognition memory task
  • 24 cued recall
  • 24 concept fixation
  • Non-24 free recall

 

Brief description of the epoch types #

Video watch

Participants watch a video, either an episode of a TV show or a portion of a movie. Typically ~40 mins long,

The non-24 video has often been a bespoke selection based on concept screening for each individual participant. For stimulation experiments we show another episode of TV (Merlin S04E11).

The 24 episode is season 6 episode 1.

Free recall

Participants are asked to verbally recount any and all details they can from the episode.

Recognition memory task

The participant is presented a series of short clips from the episode they  just watched, interspersed with clips from another episode from the same season (specifically S06E02 for 24), and they have to indicate after each clip if it it from the watched episode or not.

Cued recall

Participants are shown a series of images with associated questions and have to verbally answer the questions.

Concept fixation (not often run anymore)

Participants are shown a series of images with text labels and asked to hold that concept in mind until they hear a beep.

Movie engagement questionnaire

9 questions answered on a scale of 1-10. Questions modified from here: https://doi.org/10.1080/15213260903287259

 

Documents needed #

  • Sleep questionnaires
    • sleepiness scale x 2 (one for presleep, one for postsleep)
    • sleep report
    • Both can be found here
  • movie_engagement_qs (one for each movie shown)

And when running with transformer sleep stimulation:

 

Equipment requirements #

  • Software: MATLAB
  • Devices:
    • experiment laptop (preferably the linux)
    • microphone (Neuralynx, Blackrock each have their own)
    • backup microphone (external microphone/voice recorder – typically your phone)
    • trackpad/mouse (prefer bluetooth mouse to prevent potential signal noise from touching laptop)
    • USB-C to USB-A adapter (for bluetooth mouse)
    • external speakers (wired not bluetooth)
    • audio cable splitter
    • audio amplifier (needs to be charged!)
    • portable laptop charger (needs to be charged!)
    • lap table (for using bluetooth mouse comfortably)

 

Procedure #

Before going to the participant’s room #

Check portable charger is charged and ready

Control video prep:

  • download video from box and add to control videos folder Desktop/tasks/Movie_24/Movies/Control_videos
  • check that the non-24 video plays using the task code. As videos are prepped as mp4 as standard now this should not be an issue, but when possible it is best to check.
    • if the video does not work with psychtoolbox show with VLC and make a note in the blue book.
  • please do not change any video filenames.

Prep the linux audio before starting with the participant: Audio recording set up

  • Ensure video audio is stereo or else speakers will not output full audio (especially if it is in surround sound, you can use ffmpeg/ffprobe to check)

In the participants room #

Make sure participant is comfortable, ask about using the restroom – it’s a long task!

Data recording set up #

Standard neural recording prep applies, micros+macros, denoising, etc.

Set up the laptop on the table with the external speakers.

Inputs from the laptop to the DAQ:

  • USB TTL cable (must be plugged in before MATLAB opened or TTLs will not send)
  • Aux out to record copy of speaker audio (into analogue3 on IO board)

Open MATLAB and test TTLs #

  • Open MATLAB:
    • On linux: Double click the “Start_MATLAB_With_PTB” icon on the desktop.
    • On mac: Open MATLAB.
  • In MATLAB’s Current Folder window navigate to either Movie_24/runfromhere_movies or Movie_24/runfromhere_memory
  • In MATLAB’s Command Window type: test_pulses
  • Look at DAQ screen to see if TTLs are coming through

Note: TTL tests only need to be done for first recording of the pre-sleep and post-sleep sessions. But do keep an eye during on TTLs recording since they can fail part way through.

Back-up audio prep #

Use your phone to record back up audio for the verbal recalls. It is very important since we have has issues with mic quality and the recall is a vital part of our data.

  • this should be uploaded to box when the experiment is complete

 

Running the task #

The neural DAQ should always be the first device that starts recording, and then the back up audio, and then the MATLAB task should be started.

When ending the recording the reverse order should be taken: task off, back-up audio stop, then DAQ stop (ie stopping the recording and acquisition on NLX).

Each run of a MATLAB task should have it’s own EXP folder.

Movie watch code #

  • In MATLAB’s Current Folder window navigate to Movie_24/runfromhere_movies
  • In MATLAB’s Command Window type: showmovie
  • Select movie type from pop up window.
    • If “control” select specific file from resulting pop up window.
  • Fill in run parameters (see Running the MATLAB tasks for more details).

Typically for both movie and memory code you should only have to input the subject number as the default parameters for the other parameters should be appropriate.

Memory task code #

  • In MATLAB’s Current Folder window navigate to Movie_24/runfromhere_memory
  • In MATLAB’s Command Window type: run_movie_test_cnl
  • Select task type, options are:
    • 24 S06E01 vs S06E02
    • Merlin S04E11 vs S04E9E12
    • Select movie file for recall
  • Fill in run parameters (see Running the MATLAB tasks for more details)

 

Exceptions to default parameters include if you are restarting from an exited or crashed session, where you would set Resume session to 1, and if you are running the concept fixation task in the post-sleep session.

Once the run parameters are filled in, you can leave the pop up window open, ready to click ‘OK’ when the everything is ready and the participant is ready to start the task.

Sleep #

  • Create new acquisition file and recording.
  • Ensure participant is ready to sleep and has used the bathroom.
  • Place testing sheet found in white drawers in the far corner of research closet on patients door.
  • Inform the nurse that overnight testing is taking place, and direct them to NLX Micro pouch or Blackrock Bridge, as they will need to carry that if the patient uses the bathroom during the night.
  • From the research closet, bring face electrodes and corresponding wires found in a purple bag stored in the bottom drawer of the desk (the middle set of drawers).
  • Also bring alcohol swabs from research closet (kept next to where the NLX cart is stored) if there are none in the room already.

 

Swab areas with alcohol prior to placing electrode. If patient has facial hair and are willing to shave/trim, ensure they do so prior to placing it.

The T Bar is located in the Blue pouches next to the patient.

 

Subtract the last clinical montage macro electrode number from each polysom channel to know which T bar channel to plug wires into.

Ensure that the correct polysom channels have been plugged in by observing the recording. You can ask the patients to squeeze their eyes shut to see signals.

Start recording and move NLX out of the way to prevent accidental stoppages in recording.

 

Post-sleep memory tasks #

After sleep we re-run the memory tasks.

If you are running 24 with a concept movie:

  • first run 24 free recall, recognition memory, and cued recall
  • then run concept free recall

If you are running the 24-Merlin version, you will run all 3 memory tasks for both videos in the order they were shown during the presleep movie watching.

Note on concept meditation: we briefly ran concept mediation on a selection of 24/control images but this is not typically in task line up now.

 

Sleep questionnaires #

There are sleep surveys to fill out before and after each sleep recording. Info and PDFs here: Sleep questionnaires

Things to note in bluefolders #

  • the data quality
  • the names of the control videos shown
  • if the movie was paused or stopped early
  • which task epochs have been run (ie video watch, free recall, recognition memory, cued recall)
  • any significant reaction to the movies (familiarity, excitement, if they are paying attention)
  • interruptions
  • if any data stream did not work (eg TTLs, laptop-to-DAQ audio)
  • if not using the Linux laptop
  • if no back-up audio was recorded

 

Post task data uploading #

  • upload neural data to LTS
  • upload MATLAB logs to box or Hoffman
    • movie files go to: movieParadigm/movie_subjects
    • memory files go to: movieParadigm/memory_subjects
  • download .wav backup audio from phone, upload to box and LTS