Retrieval Practice and Schizophrenia

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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When people are tested on a previously learned material, they will later remember it better even when compared to a condition where they can re-study it. This phenomenon is called retrieval practice and is supported by an extensive research literature mostly carried out in normal students. This paradigm begins to be used in cognitive remediation programs in patients suffering from memory difficulties. The objective of this study is to investigate whether retrieval practice is spared in patients with schizophrenia. If effective, this method could be used in cognitive remediation programs. Since episodic memory difficulties are supposed to be secondary to deficits in the initiation/elaboration of efficient encoding and retrieval strategies our hypothesis is that retrieval practice is spared in schizophrenia.

Official Title
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Retrieval Practice in Patients With Schizophrenia : an Exploratory Study Using Descriptive Stories

Conditions
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Schizophrenia, Episodic Memory Deficits

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Retrieval practice effect using descriptive stories and free-call tests without feedback


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: French is the native language, or acquired before 5 years old People must be able to understand and follow the trial instructions Specific inclusion criteria (for patients) : Diagnostic of schizophrenia, according to the DSM -5, clinically stable The treatment must remain unchanged during the trial Exclusion Criteria: Severe or acute cerebral disease Other actual psychiatric disorder Use of drugs with high anticholinergic effect Irregular use of benzodiazepines medication, or high dose of benzodiazepin (more than 2 mg of lorazepam per day or equivalent) Inappropriate use of drugs Specific exclusion criteria (for healthy subjects) : - Diagnostic of schizophrenia of a relative up to the third degree

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: Supportive Care
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Patients with schizophrenia<br> | Behavioral: Retrieval practice effect using descriptive stories and free-call tests without feedback<br>* In the first phase (encoding), people study 2 short prose passages covering general scientific topics. In the second phase (initial test), they recall one text or restudy the other one. In the third phase (final test) which takes place 2 days later, they recall both texts.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Healthy subjects<br> | Behavioral: Retrieval practice effect using descriptive stories and free-call tests without feedback<br>* In the first phase (encoding), people study 2 short prose passages covering general scientific topics. In the second phase (initial test), they recall one text or restudy the other one. In the third phase (final test) which takes place 2 days later, they recall both texts.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of items properly recalled | - The aim is to investigate the retrieval practice effect using descriptive stories and free-recall tests without feedback in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. In the first phase (encoding), people study 2 short prose passages covering general scientific topics. In the second phase (initial test), they recall one text (test condition) or restudy the other one (re-study condition). In the third phase (final test) which takes place 2 days later, they recall both texts. - We will compare in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls final performance recall (number of items properly recalled) for information studied and recalled (test condition) to those for information studied and then re-studied (re-study condition). | Final test : 2 days after the first experimental session | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Difference between final performance recall and memory span score | In each group (patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls) : Difference between the final performance recall (see primary outcome measure) in test condition and re-study condition AND memory span score. | Final test : 2 days after the first experimental session | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Schizophrenia, Episodic memory deficits