Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT02184481

Working Memory Training for Dysphoric Students

Depression is associated with impairments in executive functions, including working memory (WM) which is needed to maintain and manipulate goal-relevant information. Due to these WM impairments depressed individuals have difficulties inhibiting and shifting from irrelevant (negative) information and updating goal relevant information. This study explored whether training WM decreases these impairments and reduces clinical symptoms of depression, anxiety and rumination. Sixty-one students with an elevated score on the BDI-II, representing a dysphoric mood state, executed a working memory training (n = 34) or placebo training (n = 27). Before and after training their depression, anxiety, rumination and working memory were assessed. Furthermore, they executed a working memory task while their pupil dilation was measured to assess their fatigue. Moreover, the investigators compared the dysphoric students with a healthy student population on all measures.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Depression Anxiety Disorders Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Digestive System Diseases Feeding and Eating Disorders Gastrointestinal Diseases Mental Disorders Rumination Syndrome

Age range

17 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Erasmus University Rotterdam

Rotterdam, South Holland, 3000 DR, Netherlands

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • BDI 10 of higher for dysphoric group
  • BDI 5 or lower for healthy control group

Treatment and study plan

Working memory training

Behavioral

Placebo training

Behavioral

Primary outcomes

  1. Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II) score change between pre and post measurement

    Time frame: Pre training (baseline), post training (4 weeks after baseline, training starts 1 day after baseline)

    Depression is measured with the BDI-II

Secondary outcomes

  1. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores change from pre to post training measurement

    Time frame: Pre training (baseline), post training (4 weeks after baseline, training starts 1 day after baseline)

    The STAI measures state, trait and total anxiety

Other outcomes

  1. Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) score change between pre and post training

    Time frame: Pre training (baseline), post training (4 weeks after baseline, training starts 1 day after baseline)

    The RRS measures rumination

  2. Spanboard task

    Time frame: Pre training (baseline), post training (4 weeks after baseline, training starts 1 day after baseline)

    The Spanboard task measures working memory capacity

  3. N-back task

    Time frame: Pre training (baseline), post training (6 weeks after baseline, training starts 1 day after baseline)

    The n-back task was assessed while participants pupil dilation was measured with the eyetracker. The aim of this measurement was to measure fatigue.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Erasmus Medical Center

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Working Memory Training to Decrease Depression, Anxiety and Rumination in Dysphoric Students

Important dates

Study start
2013
Primary completion
2014
First posted
Jul 9, 2014
Registry last updated
Jul 9, 2014

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.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.