Cognitive Training in Stroke Patients

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The study aims to investigate the behavioral effects, neural correlates and functional connectivity of cognitive training in patients with stroke

Detailed Description
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The study will investigate the effects of two cognitive training strategies on behavior, neural correlates and functional connectivity of patients with vascular lesions. The first strategy is associated to the ability to apply efficient organizational semantic category strategy to a list of words. This strategy will be trained in activities similar to everyday life activities. There will be in total 5 sessions, two for measuring the generalization effects before and after training and three sessions to apply the semantic strategy in order to improve encoding and episodic memory performance. The second strategy is related to the ability to remember face-names and the strategy will involve the identification of a salient face feature, creation of a nickname and association of the nickname to the real name. There will be 5 sessions in total, two for measuring the generalization effects before and after training and three sessions to apply the face-name association strategy in order to improve encoding and episodic memory performance. These two cognitive training procedures will be carried out in two separate moments. Before and after each procedure all participants will be examined by functional MRI during resting state and during a active task using a memory encoding paradigm. The same procedure will be carried out with normal control participants.

Official Title
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Neural Correlates and Functional Connectivity Associated With Cognitive Memory Training in Patients With Cerebral Ischemic Lesions

Conditions
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Vascular Diseases

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Cognitive training
* Behavioral: Control Condition


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: people with chronic vascular ischemic lesions (more than 6 months) Exclusion Criteria: vascular hemorrhages, stenosis, psychiatric problems

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 60 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

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: Triple


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Cognitive training<br>Semantic categorization training sessions | Behavioral: Cognitive training<br>* Five sessions of semantic strategy training and face-name association training<br>|
| Active Comparator: Control condition<br>Five sessions of behavioral control condition with information and education | Behavioral: Control Condition<br>* Five sessions of active control information and education<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change from baseline memory performance at 6 months | Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (episodic memory test total immediate score 48 and delayed score12) and fMRI active task (news recall immediate and delayed score 12) | up to 24 weeks after intervention | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change from baseline everyday life activity performance at 6 months | Generalization questionnaire (questions on difficulties in everyday memory total score 12) | up to 24 weeks of intervention | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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vascular ischemic lesion