Working Memory Training for Dysphoric Students

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Depression
• Interventions: Behavioral: Working memory training; Behavioral: Placebo training

• Registration Number: NCT02184481
• Lead Sponsor: Erasmus Medical Center

Brief Summary

Depression is associated with impairments in executive functions, including working memory (WM) which is needed to maintain and manipulate goal-relevant information. Due to these WM impairments depressed individuals have difficulties inhibiting and shifting from irrelevant (negative) information and updating goal relevant information. This study explored whether training WM decreases these impairments and reduces clinical symptoms of depression, anxiety and rumination. Sixty-one students with an elevated score on the BDI-II, representing a dysphoric mood state, executed a working memory training (n = 34) or placebo training (n = 27). Before and after training their depression, anxiety, rumination and working memory were assessed. Furthermore, they executed a working memory task while their pupil dilation was measured to assess their fatigue. Moreover, the investigators compared the dysphoric students with a healthy student population on all measures.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2013-09
• Primary Completion: 2014-06
• Status Verified: 2014-07
• Study First Submitted: 2014-07-03
• Study First Submitted QC: 2014-07-08
• Last Update Submitted: 2014-07-08
• Study First Posted: 2014-07-09
• Last Update Posted: 2014-07-09

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 94

Inclusion Criteria

• BDI 10 of higher for dysphoric group
• BDI 5 or lower for healthy control group

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Working memory training	Working memory training	Participants executed the training for three weeks, three times a week, half an hour per session. The training was a game in which the participant was a person who had to become strong to fight with a fantasy figure. The person could become stronger when giving the right answers in eight different working memory tasks. The level adapted to the working memory capacity of the participant.
Placebo training	Placebo training	Participants executed the training for three weeks, three times a week, half an hour per session. The training was a game in which the participant was a person who had to become strong to fight with a fantasy figure. The person could become stronger when giving the right answers in eight different working memory tasks. The level in the placebo condition was easy and did not adapt to the working memory capacity of the participant.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II) score change between pre and post measurement	Pre training (baseline), post training (4 weeks after baseline, training starts 1 day after baseline)	Depression is measured with the BDI-II

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores change from pre to post training measurement	Pre training (baseline), post training (4 weeks after baseline, training starts 1 day after baseline)	The STAI measures state, trait and total anxiety

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Erasmus University Rotterdam; 🇳🇱 Rotterdam, Zuid Holland, Netherlands