Working Memory Training for Dysphoric Students

Erasmus University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Depression

Treatments: Behavioral: Working memory training; Behavioral: Placebo training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02184481

Franken 5

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Enrollment: 94 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 17+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

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

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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94 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Working memory training

Experimental group

Description:

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.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Working memory training

Placebo training

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

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.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Placebo training