The Effects of Attentional Filter Training on Working Memory (DIIN)

Improving Cognitive Functions by Training Distractor Inhibition (DIIN) in Younger and Older Healthy Adults

The investigators are interested in how attentional filter training/ distractor inhibition training could influence cognitive functions like working memory, executive control, problem solving, decision making and attentional control.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy; Cognitive Decline; Age-related Cognitive Decline
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: filter training; Behavioral: memory training; Other: no training (control)

Detailed Description

Two different computer based trainings were applied: an attentional filter training and a working memory training.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Sachsen-Anhalt
    • Magdeburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany, 39120
      • DZNE

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 80 years (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• right-hander
• aged between 18-30 or 60-80years

Exclusion Criteria:

• severe visual impairments (e.g. dyschromatopsia, very low vision)
• diseases or medication that might impair test performance
• Montreal Cognitive Assessment Score (MoCA) < 26 points

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: SINGLE

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: Young subjects; Working memory training & attentional filter training for participants (18-30 years)	Behavioral: filter training; one-week filter training on the computer: computerized visual change detection experiment (selective attention ); Behavioral: memory training; one-week storage training on the computer: computerized visual change detection experiment (memory storage)
EXPERIMENTAL: Old subjects; Working memory training, attentional filter training and no training (control) for participants (60-80 years)	Behavioral: filter training; one-week filter training on the computer: computerized visual change detection experiment (selective attention ); Behavioral: memory training; one-week storage training on the computer: computerized visual change detection experiment (memory storage); Other: no training (control); no training applied

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Improvements in test performance	Working memory and filtering performance (in %), effects of distractor interference and reaction times for trials with and without distractors with 4, 5 & 6 targets	45min pre / post

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Rey Complex Figure Test	Copying complex figures and reproduce it from memory	30min pre / post
Memory from TAP (Test battery of Attentional Performance)	Working Memory (n-back)	45min pre / post
Attention from TAP (Test battery of Attentional Performance)	divided attention, Go-NoGo, Flexibility, Incompatibility, Visual scanning	45min pre / post
Performance in repeating numbers	Repeating numbers in forward & backward conditions	10min pre / post
Subtest from CANTAB (Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery)	Spatial Span Test	10min pre / post
Iowa Gambling Task	Decision making	5min on each training day (1-5)
Daily Questionnaires	subjective performance in the training paradigm	2 min on each training day (1-5)
Daily Questionnaires	Assessing external circumstances of daily influences	2min on each training day (1-5)
Memory performance without distractors among different setsizes	Working memory performance (in %) for trials with 4, 5 & 6 targets and averaged performance for all conditions without distractors	45min pre / post
Memory performance with distractors among different setsizes	Working memory performance (in %) for trials with 4, 5 & 6 targets and distractors and averaged performance for all conditions with distractors	45min pre / post
Filtering performance without distractors among different setsizes	Filtering performance (in %) for trials with 4, 5 & 6 targets and averaged performance for all conditions without distractors	45min pre / post
Filtering performance with distractors among different setsizes	Filtering performance (in %) for trials with 4, 5 & 6 targets and distractors and averaged performance for all conditions with distractors	45min pre / post
Reaction times	Reaction times in each condition	45min pre / post
Values of distractor inhibition	Distractor inhibition (DIIN) = Mean of conditions without distractors - Mean of conditions with distractors	45min pre / post

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
• Collaborators: German Research Foundation

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Schmicker M, Schwefel M, Vellage AK, Muller NG. Training of Attentional Filtering, but Not of Memory Storage, Enhances Working Memory Efficiency by Strengthening the Neuronal Gatekeeper Network. J Cogn Neurosci. 2016 Apr;28(4):636-42. doi: 10.1162/jocn_a_00922. Epub 2016 Jan 14.
• Schmicker M, Muller P, Schwefel M, Muller NG. Attentional Filter Training but Not Memory Training Improves Decision-Making. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017 Mar 23;11:138. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00138. eCollection 2017.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): September 26, 2012
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): December 1, 2018
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): January 1, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 12, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 20, 2017
• First Posted (ACTUAL): July 25, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): February 15, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 12, 2019
• Last Verified: February 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: training intervention; filter training; distractor inhibition
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurocognitive Disorders; Cognition Disorders; Cognitive Dysfunction
• Other Study ID Numbers: MD021

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No