Working Memory Functioning in Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Dementia

Launched by UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, GRENOBLE · Mar 18, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how working memory, which is our ability to hold and use information for short periods, is affected in people with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Researchers believe that these conditions may make it hard for individuals to use certain strategies to remember information, which could explain their memory difficulties. The trial will compare the memory performance of patients with these conditions to a control group of healthy older adults.

To participate, individuals need to be at least 65 years old, speak French, and have good vision and hearing for reading and understanding instructions. Patients must also have a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, or a combination of both, and will need to have undergone a recent cognitive assessment. The study is looking for both patients and healthy volunteers, but those with certain severe mental health issues or other serious conditions will not be eligible. Participants can expect to take part in memory tasks and help researchers better understand how memory works in these types of dementia, which may eventually lead to better treatments.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • For patient and control groups: Adults ≥ 65 years of age
• • For patient and control groups: Native French speaker
• • For patient and control groups: Vision for easy reading
• • For patient and control groups: Hearing for easy instruction understanding
• • For patient and control groups: Back span ≥ 3 during the "Digit Span Backward" subtest (WAIS-IV)
• • For patient and control groups: Formulation of the non-opposition to participate in this study
• • For patient group only: Consultation in Grenoble University Hospital (Centre de Gérontologie Sud - Gerontology center) for clinical neuropsychological assessment due to suspected cognitive impairment
• • For patient group only: Diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, or mixed dementia (i.e., Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia)
• • For patient group only: Have undergone a neuropsychological assessment at the day clinic, less than 6 months old.
• • For patient group only: Have obtained a medical opinion stating that there is no contraindication to participate in this study and no concurrent pathology that could impair the patient's cognitive abilities.
• • For patient group only: Absence of praxis and language disorders thath might prevent the carrying out of the experimental task.
• • For patient group only: MMSE score between 18 and 25 included
• • For control group only: External visitor/carer of a patient/resident of Grenoble University Hospital or volunteers at Grenoble University Hospital.
• • For control group only: MMSE score ≥ 26
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • For patient and control groups: People under guardianship or deprived of their freedom
• • For patient and control groups: Diagnosis of severe psychiatric disorders
• • For patient and control groups: Suspicion of pathologies related to alcohol dependence
• • For patient and control groups: No French social security coverage
• • For patient and control groups: Refusal to voluntarily participate in this study
• • For patient and control groups: People covered by articles L1121-5 to L1121-8 of the French Public Health Code
• • For patient group only: Suspicion of another neurodegenerative disease, such as fronto-temporal dementia, Parkinson's disease, Lewy body disease.
• • For patient group only: Clinical neuropsychological assessment did not reveal any cognitive impairment.