Memory Rehabilitation by Means of Working Memory Training in Combination With a Recollection Training

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Memory deficits after brain damage are common and there is still a need for evaluated therapy methods. In this study we compare two therapeutic interventions and investigate whether therapy effects can be found on neuropsychological tests and on a test measuring memory in everyday life.

Detailed Description
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In the interventiongroup a computerbased working memory training is combined with a recollection training (repitition-lag procedure). The patients in the active control group undergo the standard memory therapy that is normally provided in the rehabilitation centre (with a focus on the acquisition and execution of different memory strategies, e.g. the spaced retrieval method). The patients in both groups are tested on different neuropsychological tests before and after nine hours of therapy. Additionally, a test is conducted that assesses memory in everyday life.

Official Title
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Memory Rehabilitation by Means of Working Memory Training in Combination

Conditions
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Memory Deficits

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Standard Therapy
* Behavioral: Experimental Intervention


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: brain injury memory deficits (performance below average in the California Verbal Learning Test in learning trial 1 or 5, sfr or lfr) Exclusion Criteria: severe amnesia (less than 2 words in sfr of the CVLT), dementia, sensory or motor aphasia, impaired vision, insufficient German language skills, lack of patient's consent
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Standard Therapy<br>Learning and practicing memory strategies | Behavioral: Standard Therapy<br>* Learning and practicing Memory strategies<br>|
| Experimental: Experimental Intervention<br>Computerbased working memory training and Recollection training | Behavioral: Experimental Intervention<br>* Computerbased Working Memory Training in Combination with a Recollection Training<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Test to assess change in memory performance in everyday life | The test includes different single tasks that measure memory in everyday life e.g. Story recall (Subtest 6 from the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test) Outcome measure: Total number of points | baseline and 9 hours | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Outcome change in different neuropsychological tests | Tests for verbal memory, working memory, prospective memory, attention and word fluency (Composite scores built from raw scores) | baseline and 9 hours | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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working memory, recollection training, transfer