Evaluating memory and forgetting in epilepsy patients
Evaluation of Episodic Memory and Accelerated Long-term Forgetting in Patients with Drug-resistant Focal Epilepsy
This study is testing how epilepsy affects memory in people with drug-resistant focal epilepsy to see if it changes how they remember experiences and their context.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 80 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 55 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Hospices Civils de Lyon Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Bron) |
| Trial ID | NCT04924933 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This study focuses on patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy and aims to assess their episodic memory through a computerized associative memory task. It investigates how epilepsy affects the brain's ability to link experiences with their context, which is crucial for memory formation. Participants will undergo a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment to evaluate their memory capabilities and subjective complaints. The study seeks to better understand the cognitive disturbances associated with epilepsy and their impact on quality of life.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older with drug-resistant focal epilepsy and subjective memory complaints.
Not a fit: Patients with major depressive syndrome or those who have undergone epilepsy surgery may not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to improved understanding and management of memory impairments in epilepsy patients.
How similar studies have performed: While there is ongoing research into cognitive disturbances in epilepsy, this specific approach using computerized tasks for memory evaluation is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Epilepsy group : Inclusion Criteria: * Adult (≥ 18 years old) suffering from drug-resistant focal epilepsy * Patient who recently benefit from a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment (≤2 years) * Patient presenting a subjective memory complaint consistent with an ALF * Patient who obtained normal performance at memory tests during the comprehensive neuropsychological assessment * Patient who gave its written informed consent to participate to the study * Patient with corrected or non-corrected visual acuity allowing fluid reading on a computer screen * Patient affiliated to the French health care system Exclusion Criteria: * Patient with impaired reading or understanding * Patient suffering from a major depressive syndrome (score \>15 on the French version of the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy - NDDIE) * Patient who have undergone epilepsy surgery * Patient who presented a seizure within the hour preceding the first test session * Protected major * Pregnant or breastfeeding woman Control group Inclusion Criteria: * Adult (≥ 18 years old) without any neurological or psychiatric history * Adult who gave its written informed consent to participate to the study * Adult with corrected or non-corrected visual acuity allowing fluid reading on a computer screen * Adult with normal scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Matrix reasoning sub-test of the Fourth Edition Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (MoCA ≥ 27/30, Matrix reasoning \>5) Exclusion Criteria: * Adult suffering from a depressive syndrome or a significative anxiety (score ≥ 8 in each dimension of the French version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - HADS) * Adult presenting a spontaneous subjective memory complaint * Protected major * Pregnant or breastfeeding woman
Where this trial is running
Bron
- Hospices Civils de Lyon Service de Neurologie Fonctionnelle et d'Epileptologie — Bron, France (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Victoria Guinet, PhD student — Service de Neurologie Fonctionnelle et d'Epileptologie
- Study coordinator: Victoria Guinet, PhD student
- Email: victoria.guinet@chu-lyon.fr
- Phone: 4 72 11 80 70
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.