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CompletedNCT00643266Updated Nov 16, 2018

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

An interventional study of Recollection Training and Control in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Aging, sponsored by Baycrest. Completed at 1 site in Canada. Open to participants aged 65 Years to 90 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2018-11-16.

Sponsored by Baycrest · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
91
Allocation
Non-randomized
Ages
65 Years to 90 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

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.

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Conditions studied

  • Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment
  • Aging

Keywords

  • recollection training
  • aging
  • amnestic mild cognitive impairment
  • fMRI
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In context

Cognitive Dysfunction

3,843 studies on the registry are indexed under Cognitive Dysfunction; 1,100 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 91 is above the median of 65 across 2,808 interventional studies indexed under Cognitive Dysfunction.

Browse Cognitive Dysfunction studies →

Lead sponsor

Baycrest is the lead sponsor of 33 studies on the registry; 7 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
65 Years to 90 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

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

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

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

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Investigator)
Enrollment
91 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    1

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

    Behavioral: Recollection Training

  • Active comparator
    2

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

    Behavioral: Control

Interventions

  • BehavioralRecollection Training

    Participants are exposed to long lists of words. Each word is presented either visually or auditorily, and each word is repeated after a variable number of intervening words (the lag), in each the same modality, or the other modality. Participants are instructed to respond "yes" only to words repeated in the same modality. If a performance criterion is met, the lag is increased for the next session; if the performance criterion is not met, the same lag is repeated in the next session.

    Also known as: Memory training

  • BehavioralControl

    Participants view PowerPoint presentations on various topics related to memory and aging (e.g., structural brain changes, diet, stress, depression) and how each of these topics affect memory, and after each presentation, play a Jeopardy-like game to test their knowledge gain

    Also known as: Educational Control

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Recollection estimates

    Recollection, defined as Correct "yes" responses to "Same" repetitions minus Incorrect "yes" responses to "Different" repetitions, as a function of condition (trained versus control), lag (3, 16) and time (pre-, post-, and 3 month follow-up)

    Time frame: Immediately post-training and three months post-training

Secondary outcomes

  1. Brain activation as assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging

    Prefrontal (inferior, middle, and superior frontal gyri) activation for Different Repetitions minus Same Repetitions, as a function of group (trained versus control), lag (3, 16), and time (pre, post). Additional analyses will compare trained versus control older adults with younger adults on these measures at baseline (pre). Analyses will include an exploration of prefrontal laterality of the effects (left minus right), to see whether training induces greater bilaterality of activation.

    Time frame: Immediately post-training

  2. Transfer to other recollection-dependent task and to subjective memory measures

    Source memory, self-ordered pointing, n-back, a Sternberg task, CVLT, an AB-AC test of proactive interference, the Memory Controllability Inventory, Multifactorial Memory Questionnaire (Ability and Contentment subscales), Meta-Memory in Adulthood questionnaire (locus of control, anxiety, and capability subscales), and an in-house measure of the efficacy of the control program

    Time frame: Immediately post-training and three months post-training

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Study locations

1 site
  • Baycrest
    Toronto, Ontario M6A 2E1, Canada
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Anderson ND, Ebert PL, Jennings JM, Grady CL, Cabeza R, Graham SJ. Recollection- and familiarity-based memory in healthy aging and amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Neuropsychology. 2008 Mar;22(2):177-87. doi: 10.1037/0894-4105.22.2.177. PubMed 18331160 ↗
  • Guild EB, Vasquez BP, Maione AM, Mah L, Ween J, Anderson ND. Dynamic working memory performance in individuals with single-domain amnestic mild cognitive impairment. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2014;36(7):751-60. doi: 10.1080/13803395.2014.941790. Epub 2014 Aug 30. PubMed 25175752 ↗
  • Ebert PL, Anderson ND. Proactive and retroactive interference in young adults, healthy older adults, and older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2009 Jan;15(1):83-93. doi: 10.1017/S1355617708090115. PubMed 19128531 ↗
  • Anderson ND, Ebert PL, Grady CL, Jennings JM. Repetition lag training eliminates age-related recollection deficits (and gains are maintained after three months) but does not transfer: Implications for the fractionation of recollection. Psychol Aging. 2018 Feb;33(1):93-108. doi: 10.1037/pag0000214. PubMed 29494181 ↗
  • Meusel LA, Grady CL, Ebert PE, Anderson ND. Brain-behavior relationships in source memory: Effects of age and memory ability. Cortex. 2017 Jun;91:221-233. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2016.12.023. Epub 2017 Jan 12. PubMed 28161030 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 16, 2018, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00643266
Lead sponsor
Baycrest
Responsible party
Dr. Nicole D. Anderson (Senior Scientist, Baycrest) — Principal investigator
First posted
Mar 26, 2008
Start date
Feb 2008
Primary completion
Aug 2013
Completion
Aug 2013
Last update
Nov 16, 2018

Study contacts

Nicole D Anderson, PhD, CPsych
principal investigator · Baycrest

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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