Computerized Attention Training for Individuals With Acquired Brain Injury

Phase 1

Completed

• Conditions: Acquired Brain Injury; Hemispatial Neglect; Stroke
• Interventions: Behavioral: Tonic and Phasic Attention Training; Behavioral: Active Comparator

• Registration Number: NCT01641432
• Lead Sponsor: Posit Science Corporation

Brief Summary

Problems with attention are a common and debilitating consequence of brain injury. Studies show that poor attention is the number one predictor of poor cognitive functioning one year post-injury. This is due to the fact that attention is a necessary component of more complex cognitive functions such as learning \& memory, multi-tasking and problem solving. In many cases, individuals may exhibit problems with spatial attention known as 'hemi-spatial neglect syndrome' or simply 'neglect'. Many studies now show that the processing machinery of the brain is plastic and remodeled throughout life by learning and experience, enabling the strengthening of cognitive skills or abilities. The investigators own research has shown that brief, daily computerized cognitive training that is sufficiently challenging, goal-directed and adaptive enables intact brain structures to restore balance in attention and compensate for disruptions in cognitive functioning.

Detailed Description

Participants will first engage in an assessment process to determine current level of cognitive function. This process consists of paper-pencil surveys and computerized tests. Following the assessment process, participants will engage in Internet browser-delivered training sessions conducted on any internet-accessible computer. These trainings can be done up to 7 times a week (once a day) or at participant's convenience (the investigators recommend 4-5 times a week). Following the completion of training, participant's cognitive function will be re-assessed. Participation is voluntary and participants may withdraw from the study at any time.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2011-07
• Study First Submitted: 2012-06-25
• Study First Submitted QC: 2012-07-12
• Study First Posted: 2012-07-16
• Primary Completion: 2013-07
• Status Verified: 2014-07
• Last Update Submitted: 2014-07-21
• Last Update Posted: 2014-07-22

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 27

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
TAPAT	Tonic and Phasic Attention Training	Computerized Tonic and Phasic Attention training consisting of visual, auditory, and spatial stimuli that requires sustained attention (24 minutes). Training is followed by a computerized cognitive exercise (12 minutes).
Active Comparator	Active Comparator	Computerized conventional board-games that lack the therapeutic effect of the TAPAT exercises. Active control has stimulus parameters similar to the TAPAT exercises (eg. stimuli is presented on the computer, participant responses are collected, session time and improvement is measured).

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Attention and Memory	6 months	Percent change on standardized measures of attention and executive function (all participants) using the ASCAN, Attentional Blink, Attention Capture Task, Landmark task, Conjunction Search task, SART, Verbal Fluency, CVLT-II, D-KEFS Stroop, and LNS assessments.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Brain Plasticity Institute; 🇺🇸 San Francisco, California, United States