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Completed

NCT Number: NCT00593372

Treatment of Language and Memory in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

The purpose of this study is to collect data on the effects of behavioral interventions for memory and communication deficits in persons taking cholinesterase inhibitors compared with the effects of cholinesterase inhibitors alone. Initial testing will include a written case history, tests of communication skills, and interviews with the participants, family, and staff caregivers to help select potential goals for treatment. Participants will be randomly selected to participate in Group A (control) or Group B (intervention). Group A will use a Caregiver Checklist for eight weeks to identify any increase or decrease in the occurrence of the identified communication deficits. Group B will have 16 treatment sessions by a Speech Language Pathologist during the eight-week period. A post test will be administered to all participants.

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Key information

Conditions

Alzheimer Disease Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Dementia Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurocognitive Disorders Neurodegenerative Diseases Tauopathies

Age range

21 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1

Primary location

UAMS Medical Center

Little Rock, Arkansas, 72035, United States

About this study

Patients with dementia suffer from a variety of cognitive-linguistic deficits, including attention, orientation, memory, anomia, and pragmatics. Behavioral treatment of these deficits falls within the domain of speech-language pathology. While no efficacy studies have emerged to demonstrate the benefit of speech-language therapy for individuals who suffer Alzheimer's disease (AD), data are emerging which support the positive effects of memory and communication intervention in this population. Phase I and Phase II investigations are beginning to provide evidence that such intervention should focus on the development of innovative strategies to help patients compensate for the disabilities resulting from the disease rather than on traditional rehabilitation of impairment. The benefits of cholinesterase inhibitors for improving cognitive function in persons with AD have been demonstrated, and data continue to emerge on specific drugs and specific changes in cognitive processes. The purpose of the proposed investigation would be to collect pilot data on the effects of behavioral intervention for memory and communication deficits in conjunction with cholinesterase inhibitors, as compared with the effects of cholinesterase inhibitors used in isolation. Participants will be individuals with AD who are recruited from the Alzheimer's Disease Center at The University of Arkasas for Medical Sciences Medical Center. All participants will be taking cholinesterase inhibitors, and half of all participants will be randomly selected to receive intervention by a speech-language pathologist. Intervention will consist of 16 treatment sessions (one hour each) over a two month period and will focus on strategies for enhancing memory and functional communication.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Alzheimer's Disease (middle stage)

Exclusion criteria

  • None

Treatment and study plan

spaced retrieval training

Behavioral

Increasing time to remember important information.

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of Successful Memory Tasks Completed Over Study Period.

    Time frame: 8 weeks

    Successful memory tasks are those memory tasks (such as "where do I keep my keys") that participants are able to consistently respond to.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change on Mini-Mental State Examination

    Time frame: End of Study

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Arkansas

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Treatment of Language and Memory in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease: A Comparison Between Drug Therapy and Drug Therapy Plus Behavioral Intervention

Important dates

Study start
2003
Primary completion
2010
Study completion
2010
First posted
Jan 15, 2008
Registry last updated
Jan 9, 2017

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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