Stylistic Memory Enhancement

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Multiple Sclerosis

• Registration Number: NCT03206034
• Lead Sponsor: Kessler Foundation

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.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2013-03-01
• Primary Completion: 2015-12-31
• Study Completion: 2015-12-31
• Status Verified: 2017-06
• Study First Submitted: 2017-06-27
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-06-29
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-06-29
• Study First Posted: 2017-07-02
• Last Update Posted: 2017-07-02

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 20

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.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II- Total learning	Baseline and post-intervention (5 weeks between testing sessions)	Measure of change in new learning

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Memory Functioning Questionnaire	Baseline and post-intervention ( 5 weeks between testing sessions)	Measure of change in Self-report of everyday memory functioning