Clinical Trial: Neuropsychological Rehabilitation of Spontaneous Confabulation

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Study of the Neuroanatomical Circuits, Predictors and Prognostic Factors of Spontaneous Confabulation: Designing an Assessment and Rehabilitation Program

Brief Summary: Confabulators consistently generate false memories without intention to deceive and with great feeling of rightness. However, there is currently no known effective treatment for them. In order to fill this gap, the aim of this trial was to design a neuropsychological treatment based on the current theoretical models and test it experimentally in two groups of confabulators: experimental vs. control. The treatment consisted of some brief material that patients had to learn and recall at both immediate and delayed moments. After both recollections, patients were given feedback about their performance (errors and correct responses). Pre-treatment and post-treatment baselines were administered. Confabulators in the control group performed the baselines without treatment, and were then offered the treatment after the second baseline.

Detailed Summary:
Sponsor: Monica Triviño Mosquera

Current Primary Outcome:

  • Number of Confabulations [ Time Frame: Measures were recorded during 3 sessions administered in 1 week before (pre-baseline) and during 3 sessions after the treatment (post-baseline). In the control group, pre and post baselines were also recorded but without any treatment between them ]

    The confabulations recorded were 1) guessed answers, 2) confusions in time and space, 3) a mixture of two or more stimuli presented, and 4) devised or bizarre responses.

    Scores ranged from 0 (no confabulations) to unlimited number of them (because devised or bizarre responses were recorded) and consisted of the sum of all the confabulations produced during the baseline. The values in the table represent the mean of confabulations for each group (Neuropsychological treatment or No treatment) in the 3 sessions at each baseline (pre- and post-treatment).

  • Number of Correct Responses [ Time Frame: Measures were recorded during 3 sessions administered in 1 week before (pre-baseline) and during 3 sessions after the treatment (post-baseline). In the control group, pre and post baselines were also recorded but without any treatment between them ]

    Scores ranged from 0 (no correct answers) to 72 (12 stimuli remembered twice in each session: firstly, in a immediate recall after learning, and secondly, in a delayed recall after 10 minutes).

    The values in the table represent the mean of correct responses for each group (Neuropsychological treatment or No treatment) in the 3 sessions at each baseline (pre- and post-treatment).

  • Number of Confabulations [ Time Frame: Measures were recorded at both immediate and delayed recall during 9 sessions administered three times per week (three weeks in total) ]

    The confabulations recorded were 1) guessed answers, 2) confusions in time and space, 3) a mixture of two or more stimuli presented, and 4) devised or bizarre responses.

    Scores ranged from 0 (no confabulations) to unlimited number of them (because devised or bizarre responses were recorded).

  • Number of Correct Responses [ Time Frame: Measures were recorded at both immediate and delayed recall during 9 sessions administered three times per week (three weeks in total) ]
    Scores ranged from 0 (no correct answers) to 12 (all stimuli were remembered).
  • Number of Non-responses [ Time Frame: Measures were recorded at both immediate and delayed recall during 9 sessions administered three times per week (three weeks in total) ]
    Scores ranged from 0 (no non-responses) to 12 (no stimulus was remembered).


Current Secondary Outcome: Number of Errors in Source Attribution [ Time Frame: Measures were recorded during 3 sessions administered in 1 week before (pre-baseline) and during 3 sessions after the treatment (post-baseline). In the control group, pre and post baselines were also recorded but without any treatment between them ]

After the recall of the material, patients were also asked to remember which modality corresponded to each recall (i.e., seen, heard or imagined), and who had presented the material during the learning session (i.e., the therapist or themselves).

Scores ranged from 0 (if all answers were non-responses) to unlimited number (depending on number of confabulations produced by patients).

The values in the table represent the mean of errors in source attribution for each group (Neuropsychological treatment or No treatment) in the 3 sessions at each baseline (pre- and post-treatment).



Original Secondary Outcome: Number of Errors in Source Attribution [ Time Frame: Measures were recorded at both immediate and delayed recall during 9 sessions administered three times per week (three weeks in total) ]

After the recall of the material, patients were also asked to remember which modality corresponded to each recall (i.e., seen, heard or imagined), and who had presented the material during the learning session (i.e., the therapist or themselves).

Scores ranged from 0 (if all answers were non-responses) to unlimited number (depending on number of confabulations produced by patients)



Information By: San Rafael University Hospital, Granada, Spain

Dates:
Date Received: August 15, 2015
Date Started: April 2013
Date Completion:
Last Updated: February 9, 2016
Last Verified: February 2016