Short-term Cognitive Training in Late-life Depression

Not Applicable

Terminated

• Conditions: Depression
• Interventions: Behavioral: Cognitive training

• Registration Number: NCT01748032
• Lead Sponsor: Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of the alternative uses training (AUT) and word association training (WAT) on cognitive functions and mood symptoms in late-life depression (LLD).

The hypotheses are:

1. post-training cognitive performance will be superior to pre-training cognitive performance

2. post-training depressive symptomatology will be less severe as compared with pre-training clinical severity and

3. AUT group will show better post-training cognitive performance and improved mood symptoms when compared with the WAT group.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2012-08
• Study First Submitted: 2012-12-10
• Study First Submitted QC: 2012-12-10
• Study First Posted: 2012-12-12
• Primary Completion: 2014-06
• Study Completion: 2014-09
• Status Verified: 2016-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-04-06
• Last Update Posted: 2016-04-07

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: TERMINATED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 6

Inclusion Criteria

• Male or female
• Age >=55
• Proficiency in English
• Current depressive episode and meet criteria for DSM-IV major depressive disorder
• Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score >=15
• Able to give informed consent
• Stable medication dosages during the training period

Exclusion Criteria

• Other DSM-IV Axis I psychiatric disorders, except for anxiety disorders due to high comorbidity with mood disorders
• Mini-Mental State Examination score of <26
• Diagnosis of dementia
• Neurological and medical conditions known to affect cognition (e.g., stroke, head injury, previous chemotherapy for cancer)
• Unstable medical illnesses requiring active treatment
• Vision or hearing impairment affecting ability to participate in training

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Word Association Training	Cognitive training	In this task, subjects are asked to generate the first word that comes to their mind, and thus, encourages more general and spontaneous divergent thinking.
Alternative Uses Training	Cognitive training	In this task, subjects are asked to produce atypical and alternative uses for common daily objects.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in cognitive functions including fluid intelligence, executive function, language, memory and motor speed	Within 3 days before the first cognitive training day and within 3 days after the last cognitive training day	Computerized Executive Tasks: * Number-Letter Task; * Letter-Memory Task; * Stroop Task; Non-Computerized Measures: * Cattell Culture Fair Intelligence Test; * Mattis Dementia Rating Scale-2 (DRS-2)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Changes in mood including depression, anxiety and apathy	Within 3 days before the first cognitive training day and within 3 days after the last cognitive training day	* Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS); * Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES); * Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (Ham-A); * Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest; 🇨🇦 Toronto, Ontario, Canada