Memory Training and Neural Plasticity (WMTrain)

October 16, 2025 updated by: Alexandru Iordan, University of Michigan

Working Memory Training and Neural Plasticity in Mild Cognitive Impairment

This study will evaluate the efficacy of working memory training in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Study Overview

Status

Terminated

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Working memory (WM) is the ability to hold information actively in mind and is fundamental for higher-order cognition. This pilot study aims to (1) evaluate the efficacy of WM training in older adults with MCI and (2) understand if and how it works. The study will use behavioral and brain imaging assessments to see whether WM training changes how participants learn and remember information. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) methods will be used. The study will also use cognitive tests and questionnaires to determine whether participants' cognitive abilities change with training. The study will enroll participants with a diagnosis of MCI as well as cognitively intact older adults (healthy controls, HC).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

24

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109
        • University of Michigan

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

60 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • MCI Diagnosis
  • Right-handedness
  • MRI-eligibility for MRI participants

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of other contributing neurological or medical conditions known to affect cognitive functioning
  • Significant mental illness
  • Sensory impairments that limit ability to participate
  • History of alcohol or drug abuse/dependence

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: In-Person, MCI
Participants diagnosed with MCI will undergo 10 sessions of WM training in person.
Behavioral: Working Memory Training
A 10-session working memory (WM) training program
Active Comparator: Online, MCI
Participants diagnosed with MCI will undergo 10 sessions of WM training online.
Behavioral: Working Memory Training
A 10-session working memory (WM) training program
Active Comparator: Online, Healthy
Cognitively intact older adults will undergo 10 sessions of WM training online.
Behavioral: Working Memory Training
A 10-session working memory (WM) training program

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Gains in WM training task performance
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Analyses of WM performance for each training session indexed as the mean set-size achieved during each training session for each participant
2 weeks
Changes in brain activation within the WM network
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Univariate analyses via fMRI and fNIRS, respectively, using units of brain activation (i.e., contrast estimates)
2 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in criterion (fMRI) WM task performance
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Analyses of WM performance indexed as percent accuracy
2 weeks
Changes in functional connectivity within and between canonical brain networks
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Graph theory analysis via fMRI and fNIRS, respectively, using measures of connectivity strength (i.e., correlation coefficients)
2 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Michigan

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Alexandru Iordan, Ph.D., University of Michigan

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

April 7, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 11, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

May 11, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 27, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 13, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

May 19, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

October 20, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 16, 2025

Last Verified

October 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • HUM00199574

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

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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