Stylistic Memory Enhancement

NCT ID: NCT03206034

Last Updated: 2017-07-02

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 20 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2013-03-01
• Study Completion Date: 2015-12-31

Brief Summary

Impairments in higher level cognitive processing, such as new learning and memory, are common in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and negatively impact multiple aspects of everyday life, including occupational and social functioning. Despite this, few studies have attempted to remediate these cognitive deficits in order to improve everyday functioning. While not applied in traditional rehabilitation protocols as of yet, many techniques from cognitive psychology significantly improve learning and memory in healthy persons. These techniques include the generation effect (GE), the spacing effect (SE), and the testing effect (TE). These techniques have recently been incorporated into an 8-session treatment protocol, Stylistic Memory Enhancement (SME), designed to teach participants about each of the techniques, train them on how to apply the techniques in daily life and practice their application to daily life memory demanding situations. The protocol includes teaching participants how to restructure a memory demanding situation in order to make optimal use of self-generation, spaced learning and self-testing. The objective of the study is to test the efficacy of the SME in an MS population.

Conditions

Multiple Sclerosis

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: TRIPLE

Study Groups

Treatment

The experimental group will meet with a study team member twice a week for 4 weeks (8 sessions) and receive memory strategy training.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Stylistic Memory Enhancement

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Control

The control group participants will meet with a study team member twice a week for 4 weeks (8 sessions) and receive control memory exercises.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Stylistic Memory Enhancement

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Interventions

Stylistic Memory Enhancement

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Clinically definite MS between the ages of 18 and 59. Participants must have impairment in new learning (determined by an in-person screen) with intact language comprehension.

Exclusion Criteria

• History of alcohol or drug abuse/dependence,
• Major psychiatric disturbance (e.g. bipolar disorder, schizophrenia) and neurological history other than MS.
• Corticosteroid use within the last month prior to the participation.
• Less than 1 month post most recent exacerbation.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 59 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Kessler Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Nancy Chiaravalloti

Director Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Other Identifiers

E-769-13

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id