Neuropsychological tool to measure how people with Alzheimer's perceive and think about time
Evaluation of a Neuropsychological Tool to Assess Temporal Processing Abilities in Alzheimer's Disease
This project tests the Chronos battery to measure different aspects of time perception and time-related memory in people with Alzheimer's disease who have episodic memory and other cognitive deficits.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University Hospital, Caen Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Caen) |
| Trial ID | NCT07341009 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational project uses the Chronos battery to quantify four aspects of temporal processing—simultaneity and order, duration processing, subjective passage of time, and mental time travel—in people with Alzheimer's disease. Participants are recruited from the neurology unit at Caen Hospital and must have deficits in at least two cognitive domains including episodic memory, with exclusions for major psychiatric disorders, significant head trauma, or medications that alter cognition. Each participant completes a standardized set of behavioral and neuropsychological tasks spanning perception to memory to build individual time-processing profiles. The goal is to develop a practical clinical tool to detect and monitor time-related cognitive changes across aging and Alzheimer's progression.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease who have deficits in at least two cognitive domains including episodic memory, can give consent or have a legal representative, and meet the study's exclusion criteria.
Not a fit: People without cognitive deficits, those with major psychiatric disorders, a history of prolonged loss of consciousness from head trauma, or taking medications that alter cognition are unlikely to benefit from this tool.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the Chronos battery could help clinicians detect and track time-related cognitive problems earlier and tailor care or interventions for people with Alzheimer's.
How similar studies have performed: Research has documented altered time perception in various neurological and psychiatric conditions, but clinical tools specifically targeting time processing in Alzheimer's are limited, so this approach is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * No objection from the participant or their legal representative, if applicable, prior to or during the assessment * Deficit in at least two cognitive functions, including episodic memory. Exclusion Criteria: * History of head trauma with loss of consciousness lasting more than 1 hour * Presence of clinically significant major psychiatric disorders (according to DSM-IV-TR criteria) * Use of medications likely to alter cognitive and/or brain function (decision by the principal investigator)
Where this trial is running
Caen
- Caen Hospital, neurology Unit — Caen, France (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Marianne Hebert
- Email: hebert-maria@chu-caen.fr
- Phone: +33231065728
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.