Mild Cognitive Impairment
Conditions
Keywords
MCI, cognitive training, memory training, dementia, Alzheimer's disease
Brief summary
This study compared two active cognitive interventions to evaluate whether one improved memory more than the other in patients with mild cognitive impairment. Participants were randomized to either memory strategy training or spaced retrieval training and completed memory tests before and after 3 training sessions. Participants returned 1 month after treatment to see how well they remembered the learned information. Brain scans (functional MRI) were collected before and after the interventions to see if training changed the way brain regions were functioning.
Detailed description
Individuals with MCI were randomized to 3 sessions of mnemonic strategy or spaced retrieval training that focused on object location associations. Across these training sessions, each group received 9 training trials for each of the 45 trained stimuli. Task-fMRI was acquired before and after training. Memory was again evaluated 1 month after the last training session. The primary outcome measure was memory for the trained stimuli while secondary outcome was accuracy for novel stimuli acquired outside of the MRI environment.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALmnemonic strategy training
training using mnemonic strategies
BEHAVIORALspaced retrieval training
training using spaced retrieval
Sponsors
VA Office of Research and Development
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Masking description
Participants were informed they would receive one of two cognition oriented treatments but were unaware of the nature of the other intervention.
Intervention model description
Randomization to Mnemonic strategy or spaced retrieval training
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
-Diagnosis of MCI according to Petersen (2004) criteria, right handed
Exclusion criteria
* Diagnosis of other neurological condition, * active drug/alcohol abuse/dependence, * moderate-severe depression or other Axis I diagnoses.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Percent of Correct Object Location Associations Assessed up to 1 Month Post-treatment | up to 1 month after last training session | Change in memory for 45 trained object location associations |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Accuracy (vs. Baseline) on Novel Object Location Associations | up to 1 month after last training session | Change in accuracy for novel object location associations using a touchscreen task; distance measured in cm from actual location |
Countries
United States
Participant flow
Participants by arm
| Arm | Count |
|---|---|
| Mnemonic Strategy Training Training using mnemonic strategies
mnemonic strategy training: training using mnemonic strategies | 28 |
| Spaced Retrieval Training Training using spaced retrieval
spaced retrieval training: training using spaced retrieval | 29 |
| Total | 57 |
Withdrawals & dropouts
| Period | Reason | FG000 | FG001 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Study | Unable to understand training instructions | 1 | 1 |
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | Spaced Retrieval Training | Total | Mnemonic Strategy Training |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, Categorical <=18 years | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Age, Categorical >=65 years | 22 Participants | 45 Participants | 23 Participants |
| Age, Categorical Between 18 and 65 years | 7 Participants | 12 Participants | 5 Participants |
| Age, Continuous | 70.5 Years STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.3 | 71.6 Years STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.3 | 72.7 Years STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.3 |
| Race (NIH/OMB) American Indian or Alaska Native | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Asian | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Black or African American | 11 Participants | 19 Participants | 8 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) More than one race | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) Unknown or Not Reported | 1 Participants | 2 Participants | 1 Participants |
| Race (NIH/OMB) White | 17 Participants | 36 Participants | 19 Participants |
| Region of Enrollment United States | 29 Participants | 57 Participants | 28 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Female | 14 Participants | 24 Participants | 10 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Male | 15 Participants | 33 Participants | 18 Participants |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk | EG001 affected / at risk |
|---|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | 0 / 29 | 0 / 30 |
| other Total, other adverse events | 0 / 29 | 0 / 30 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 0 / 29 | 0 / 30 |
Outcome results
Primary
Percent of Correct Object Location Associations Assessed up to 1 Month Post-treatment
Change in memory for 45 trained object location associations
Time frame: up to 1 month after last training session
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) |
|---|---|---|
| Mnemonic Strategy Training | Percent of Correct Object Location Associations Assessed up to 1 Month Post-treatment | 80.0 percent correct |
| Spaced Retrieval Training | Percent of Correct Object Location Associations Assessed up to 1 Month Post-treatment | 62.45 percent correct |
p-value: <0.00195% CI: [12.28, 24.67]Mixed Models Analysis
Secondary
Change in Accuracy (vs. Baseline) on Novel Object Location Associations
Change in accuracy for novel object location associations using a touchscreen task; distance measured in cm from actual location
Time frame: up to 1 month after last training session
Population: Computer errors resulted in loss of data from the first 15 participants (7 MST, 8 SRT)
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) |
|---|---|---|
| Mnemonic Strategy Training | Change in Accuracy (vs. Baseline) on Novel Object Location Associations | 6.1 error in centimeters |
| Spaced Retrieval Training | Change in Accuracy (vs. Baseline) on Novel Object Location Associations | 7.14 error in centimeters |
p-value: 0.00495% CI: [0.75, 3.91]Mixed Models Analysis