Can we Forget? Directed Forgetting and Embodied Cognition in Schizophrenia

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne

Status: Completed

Conditions: Schizophrenia

Treatments: Other: Memorization of the action verbs by means of another word; Other: Memorization of the verbs by miming the action; Other: Simple memorization of the verbs; Other: Memorization of the verbs by imagining the action

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02538445

1001156

2010-A01372-37 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Based on the theory of embodied cognition, which focuses on the influence of sensory and motor processes on cognition, researchers propose to study the influence of the action on memorization and inhibition in patients suffering from schizophrenia, using a directed forgetting paradigm. The directed forgetting paradigm is used, composed of two lists of action verbs. The instruction "to forget" is given at the end of learning the first list (To Be Forgotten (TBF)), following a simulation of a computer bug. Therefore a second list is presented to be learned and remembered (To Be Remembered (TBR)). A recognition task is performed at the end. The action verbs had to be encoded using four conditions: action performed, mimed, imagined action, action with a contextual word, reading the action verb only. 48 schizophrenic patients were included in this study. Patients were randomized to have 10 participants per condition. 48 controls matched by age, gender, laterality and education are also included and randomized in the same modality. This study aims to show that the encoding of sensory-motor components, more than providing a context could improve the inhibitory capacities but also memory in schizophrenia, and possibly be used in remediation cognitive.

Full description

Researchers used the directed forgetting paradigm composed of two lists of action verbs. The instruction "to forget" is given at the end of learning the first list (To Be Forgotten (TBF)), following a simulation of a computer bug. Therefore a second list is presented to be learned and remembered (To Be Remembered (TBR)). A recognition task is performed at the end. The action verbs had to be encoded using four conditions: action performed, mimed, imagined action, action with a contextual word, reading the action verb only. 48 schizophrenic patients were included in this study. Patients were randomized to have 10 participants per condition. 48 controls matched by age, gender, laterality and education are also included and randomized in the same modality. This study aims to show that the encoding of sensory-motor components, more than providing a context could improve the inhibitory capacities but also memory in schizophrenia, and possibly be used in remediation cognitive.

Enrollment: 96 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria for patients:

• Schizophrenic patients as defined in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV)
• Stabilized a therapeutic point of view for at least one month.
• Consent form signed
• Affiliated to a Security Health Program

Inclusion Criteria for volunteers:

• Consent form signed
• Affiliated to a Security Health Program

Exclusion Criteria for patients and volunteers :

• Not having a history of head trauma, neurological disease or not stabilized serious somatic illness,
• Not to use psychoactive substance, as defined by the DSM IV.
• The Intelligence Quotient must not be less than 70 (Progressive Matrices Standard score (PM38), Raven Progressive Matrix).

Trial design

96 participants in 8 patient groups

Patients group 1

Experimental group

Description:

Memorization of the verbs by miming the action

Treatment:

Other: Memorization of the verbs by miming the action

Patients group 2

Experimental group

Description:

Memorization of the verbs by imagining the action

Treatment:

Other: Memorization of the verbs by imagining the action

Patients group 3

Experimental group

Description:

Memorization of the action verbs by means of another word

Treatment:

Other: Memorization of the action verbs by means of another word

Patients group 4

Experimental group

Description:

Simple memorization of the verbs

Treatment:

Other: Simple memorization of the verbs

Healthy volonteers group 1

Active Comparator group

Description:

Memorization of the verbs by miming the action

Treatment:

Other: Memorization of the verbs by miming the action

Healthy volonteers group 2

Active Comparator group

Description:

Memorization of the verbs by imagining the action

Treatment:

Other: Memorization of the verbs by imagining the action

Healthy volonteers group 3

Active Comparator group

Description:

Memorization of the action verbs by means of another word

Treatment:

Other: Memorization of the action verbs by means of another word

Healthy volonteers group 4

Active Comparator group

Description:

Simple memorization of the verbs

Treatment:

Other: Simple memorization of the verbs