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RecruitingNCT07345481Updated May 22, 2026

Stimulus Equivalence Learning in Acquired Brain Injury.

An observational study in Acquired Brain Injury (Including Stroke), sponsored by Klimmendaal Revalidatiespecialisten. Recruiting at 1 site in Netherlands. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 75 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-22.

Sponsored by Klimmendaal Revalidatiespecialisten · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
40
Ages
18 Years to 75 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Stimulus Equivalence Learning (SEL) is a form of learning in which stimuli (such as words, pictures, or sounds) become linked to one another in memory, even though this specific connection has not been directly taught. In a typical SEL task, two relations are taught explicitly (A→B and A→C), and the untrained relation (B→C) is then tested. This indirect relation is not intentionally or consciously learned and is considered a form of implicit learning. The principle of stimulus equivalence learning is still rarely applied in cognitive rehabilitation after acquired brain injury (ABI), with the exception of a few small (N=1) treatment studies that have shown positive effects. However, it remains unclear to what extent ABI may affect the ability to acquire stimulus equivalence.

02

Conditions studied

  • Acquired Brain Injury (Including Stroke)

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Keywords

  • acquired brain injury
  • implicit memory
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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 75 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

ABI patients (>3 months post-injury), including stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain tumor, encephalitis, and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

Inclusion criteria

ABI patients (>3 months post-injury), including stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain tumor, encephalitis, and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

Neurodegenerative disorders Severe psychiatric disorders (including suicidality) Insufficient command of the Dutch language Severe cognitive impairments, aphasia, or visual or hearing problems that make test administration impossible

An additional exclusion criterion for controls was any medical condition that could lead to cognitive impairment beyond normal aging, including stroke, TBI, brain tumor, or other forms of brain injury.

04

Study design

Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
40 participants (estimated)
Target follow-up
1 Day
Patient registry
Yes

Groups and cohorts

  • healthy controls
  • acquired brain injury
05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Modified Rutgers Equivalence Learning Task (mRAET)

    The original RAET is an experimental paradigm in which faces have to be paired with colored fish. For the current study, this task has been adapted into a more ecologically valid version focused on medication intake, in which relationships are learned between the shape of a pill, the function of the pill, the time of intake, and the (fictional) brand name.

    Time frame: Day 1

Secondary outcomes

  1. Location Learning Test (LLT)

    The LLT is a test that can be used to measure episodic spatial memory for object locations. Normalized scores for immediate and delayed spatial memory are computed (percentiles 0-100).

    Time frame: Day 1

  2. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale IV-NL digit span (WAIS-IV-NL DS)

    The digit span is a measure of verbal working memory. Normalized standard scores can be computed (range 0-19, mean: 10, standard deviation: 3).

    Time frame: Day 1

  3. Everyday memory questionnaire-revised (EMQ-R)

    This is a 13-item scale of the everyday memory functioning.

    Time frame: Day 1

  4. Trial Making Test

    The Trail Making Test (TMT) is a neuropsychological test that measures processing speed, visual attention, and task switching.

    Time frame: Day 1

  5. Stroop

    The Stroop Test is a cognitive task that measures selective attention, processing speed, and the ability to inhibit automatic responses. Participants are shown color words printed in incongruent ink colors (e.g., the word "red" printed in blue ink) and must name the ink color rather than read the word. The interference effect-slower or less accurate responses-reflects challenges in cognitive control and response inhibition.

    Time frame: Day 1

  6. Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT)

    The Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, RAVLT) is a verbal learning and memory task in which a list of 15 unrelated words is read aloud over several trials. The participant is asked to recall as many words as possible after each trial, and later again after a delay. The test assesses immediate recall, learning ability, retention, and recognition memory.

    Time frame: Day 1

  7. Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT)

    Participants respond to the location of a black circle that appears in one of four screen positions by pressing the corresponding response key as quickly and accurately as possible. After 12 practice trials, the task consists of 8 blocks of 60 trials. Blocks 1-6 contain a fixed repeating sequence of locations (not disclosed to participants). Block 7 contains a different sequence, followed by a return to the original sequence in Block 8. After the task, participants complete questions assessing explicit awareness of the sequence. Implicit learning is indicated by faster reaction times in Blocks 6 and 8 (repeated sequence) compared to Block 7 (irregular sequence).

    Time frame: Day 1

06

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Klimmendaal Revalidatiespecialisten
    Arnhem, Gelderland 6813 GG, Netherlands
    Recruiting
07

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07345481
Lead sponsor
Klimmendaal Revalidatiespecialisten
Collaborators
Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jan 15, 2026
Start date
Jan 29, 2026
Primary completion
Jun 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Jul 2026 (estimated)
Last update
May 22, 2026

Study contacts

Edo Grevers, MSc.
Contact
e.grevers@klimmendaal.nl
+31620839323

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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