Working Memory Functioning in Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Dementia

Summary

The aim of the present study is to investigate potential cognitive mechanisms contributing to working memory impairment in Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. The investigators consider a new hypothesis suggesting that difficulties in mobilizing maintenance strategies of information could explain this working memory deficit. More specifically, the investigators assume that patient groups will have difficulties in employing both refreshing and elaborative strategies during a working memory task (i.e., complex span task), as compared to a control group.

Conditions

• Alzheimer Disease
• Vascular Dementia
• Mixed Dementias

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Complex span task

The intervention consists in a computerized working memory task. This task follows the design of a complex span task, involving alternation between memorization and processing steps. For each trial, participants have to memorize French words. These words are sequentially displayed on the screen. Between each word, participants perform a processing task consisting in a spatial location task: They have to determine if a shape is at the top or at the bottom of the screen. After each processing episode, participants have a free time (i.e., available time to maintain information in WM). At the end of each trial, participants perform an orally immediate recall. This experimental task involves several conditions in order to manipulate the opportunities for the spontaneous use of refreshing and elaborative strategies.

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Clinical neuropsychological assessment

As part of routine care, participants in the patient group undergo a standardized clinical neuropsychological assessment that evaluates several cognitive functions. The investigators hypothesize correlations between working memory performance during the experimental task and the results of neuropsychological tests. Thus, the investigators consider the results to several French versions of neuropsychological tests: * MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) * "Digit Span Backward" subtest (WAIS-IV) * Stroop Test * Trail Making Test (TMT) * Rappel Libre - Rappel Indicé à 16 items or GERIA-12 * Category fluences * Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and ADL .

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Clinical neurospychological assessement

Participants in the control group undergo 2 tests clinical that evaluate cognitive functioning. The investigators consider the results to French versions of these neuropsychological tests: * MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination; ) * "Digit Span Backward" subtest (WAIS-IV)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Grenoble Alps

  collaborator OTHER

• Université Savoie Mont Blanc

  collaborator OTHER

• Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France

  collaborator OTHER

• Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition

  collaborator OTHER

• University Hospital, Grenoble

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Benoit Lemaire · Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition

• Sophie Portrat · Laboratoire de Psychologie et NeuroCognition

Eligibility

Min Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-04-30

Primary Completion

2025-09-30

Completion

2025-10-31