Computerised Working Memory Training in Acquired Brain Injury

Summary

Working memory is a limited capacity cognitive system in which information is held temporarily in order to make it available for processing. The amount of information that can be held in mind varies considerably from person to person and changes across the lifespan.

Working memory is frequently affected following brain injury. As working memory is important for cognitive skills such as problem solving, planning and active listening, a deficit in working memory can lead to difficulties with many everyday activities that are necessary for work, study and general functioning. Impaired working memory may consequently have a significant impact on a person's quality of life and ability to participate in previous social roles, with potential for effects on mood and emotional wellbeing.

Evidence shows that non-invasive transcranial direct current brain stimulation (tDCS) can be used in combination with computerized memory training (CT) over multiple days, to enhance working memory in healthy and clinical populations. In patients with an acquired brain injury (ABI), cognitive training or brain stimulation have been used alone to improve attention or memory-related impairment, but the effect of the concurrent used of the two interventions over multiple days is yet to be investigated.

With this research the investigators propose to investigate the effect of the combined use of tDCS and CT to improve memory performance in patients with acquired brain injury. The investigators propose to use a multi-day cognitive training regime to exercise working memory, while stimulating the brain with low intensity direct currents. Success will be measured as improvement in performance in several cognitive domain, before and after training.

Conditions

• Acquired Brain Injury

Interventions

DEVICE

Active tDCS

For the first two weeks of the study, participants will receive 20 min of brain stimulation, concurrent with cognitive training. Electrodes will be placed over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (active electrode), and the contralateral supraorbital site (return electrode).

DEVICE

SHAM tDCS

For the first two weeks of the study, participants will receive 20 min of SHAM brain stimulation, concurrent with cognitive training. Electrodes will be placed over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (active electrode), and the contralateral supraorbital site (return electrode).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• NORTHAMPTONSHIRE HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Dalhousie University

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Birmingham

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Kimron Shapiro · University of Birmingham

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

69 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-11-30

Primary Completion

2021-08-31

Completion

2021-08-31