Cognitive Training for Memory Deficits Associated With Electroconvulsive Therapy
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01876758 |
Recruitment Status
:
Completed
First Posted
: June 13, 2013
Last Update Posted
: July 14, 2017
|
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Memory Deficits Electroconvulsive Therapy | Behavioral: Cognitive Intervention: Memory Training Behavioral: Comparable general mental stimulation | Not Applicable |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 59 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Cognitive Training for Memory Deficits Associated With Electroconvulsive Therapy |
Study Start Date : | September 2012 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | August 2015 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | May 2017 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Cognitive Intervention: Memory Training
Memory training before and after ECT
|
Behavioral: Cognitive Intervention: Memory Training
Paper-and-pencil and computerized exercises pre- and post-ECT which may be helpful in recovering episodic memories and allow for the retention of learned strategies
|
Active Comparator: Comparable general mental stimulation
Puzzle games before and after ECT
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Behavioral: Comparable general mental stimulation
Active control will work on commercially available puzzle games at the same time prior and after ECT to determine if the developed memory training program is more effective than mere mental stimulation.
|
No Intervention: Treatment as Usual
No memory training or puzzle games, just the study evaluations
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- Columbia University Autobiographical Memory Interview-Short Form (AMI-SF) [ Time Frame: 2 months after the last ECT session ]
- Goldberg Remote Memory Questionnaire [ Time Frame: 2 months after the last ECT session ]
- Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-24 item [ Time Frame: 2 months after the last ECT session ]
- Modified Mini-Mental State examination [ Time Frame: 2 months after the last ECT session ]

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 70 Years (Adult, Senior) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder
- Inpatient at NYSPI or Presbyterian Hospital
- Scheduled to undergo right-unilateral electroconvulsive therapy in the next two weeks
- We do not require participants to be psychiatrically stable in terms of their symptoms. They only need to demonstrate capacity to consent and be willing to sit through 3 training sessions prior to ECT and 5 sessions post ECT
Exclusion Criteria:
- Significant auditory/visual impairment that would interfere with study procedures
- Lack of aptitude in English that may interfere with the administration of the tests
- Changes in the type of antidepressant during the course of ECT or 2 weeks post ECT
- Chart diagnosis of any other medical or neuropsychiatric illnesses known to impair brain function (e.g. mental retardation, traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia)
- History of ECT in past 2 months
- Mental status examination score below 40/57
- Current substance abuse (e.g. marijuana or crack), excluding nicotine and caffeine.
- Too agitated to sit through the required tests or training

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01876758
United States, New York | |
New York State Psychiatric Institute | |
New York, New York, United States, 10032 |
Principal Investigator: | Joan Prudic, MD | New York State Psychiatric Institute | |
Principal Investigator: | Jimmy Choi, PsyD | New York State Psychiatric Institute |
Publications:
Responsible Party: | New York State Psychiatric Institute |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01876758 History of Changes |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
#6599 |
First Posted: | June 13, 2013 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | July 14, 2017 |
Last Verified: | July 2017 |
Keywords provided by New York State Psychiatric Institute:
ECT Memory Training Cognitive Remediation Electroconvulsive Therapy Treatment Resistant Depression |
Depression Geriatric Depression Memory Loss Cognitive Training |
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Memory Disorders Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurologic Manifestations Nervous System Diseases Signs and Symptoms |