Recollection Training in Healthy Older Adults and Older Adults With Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Baycrest

Status: Completed

Conditions: Aging; Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Treatments: Behavioral: Recollection Training; Behavioral: Control

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00643266

CIHR MOP 67015

ASC 08 95

RecollectionTraining

Details and patient eligibility

About

We have developed a training intervention that successfully improves older adults' memory. We have also shown that older adults whose memory is as good as younger adults' memory (Hi-Old) use an altered pattern of memory-related brain activity compared to younger adults, whereas healthy older adults with poorer memory (Lo-Old) do not. We have also shown that individuals with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) have impairments of conscious, effortful, Recollection-based memory processes, whereas their automatic, Familiarity-based memory processes are intact. Our primary current goal is to investigate whether our successful memory intervention will improve Recollection and produce induce altered patterns of brain activity in the Lo-Old and aMCI.

Young, Lo-Old, Hi-Old, and aMCI will be scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing two memory tasks. Half of the Lo-Old and half of the aMCI will then receive the memory intervention, while the other half in each group will receive a control program consisting of information and games about aging. The Lo-Old and aMCI will then be rescanned while performing the two memory tasks. We predict that the memory intervention will improve performance on a number of memory tasks, and will induce altered patterns of brain activity. In the Lo-Old, their brain activity after the memory intervention will look more like the Hi-Old, while brain activity will become more focal in the aMCI.

Enrollment: 91 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65 to 90 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 65-90 years old
• English as a first language or learned before kindergarten
• Right handed

Exclusion criteria

• Neurologic disorder
• Major medical disorder affecting cognition
• Psychiatric disorder
• Metal in the body that poses a hazard in the MRI scanner

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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91 participants in 2 patient groups

1

Experimental group

Description:

Recollection training via graduated increases in task difficulty, carried out over 36 sessions over 9 training days

Treatment:

Behavioral: Recollection Training

2

Active Comparator group

Description:

Computer-delivered information sessions about memory and aging with Jeopardy-like games to engage participants

Treatment:

Behavioral: Control