Repetition-lag memory training is feasible in patients with chronic stroke, including those with memory problems

ABSTRACT

Primary objective: Repetition-lag memory training was developed to increase individuals’ use of recollection as opposed to familiarity in recognition memory. The goals of this study were to examine the feasibility of repetition-lag training in patients with chronic stroke and to explore whether the training might show suggestions of transfer to non-trained tasks.

Research design: Quasi-experimental.

Methods and procedures: Patients (n = 17) took part in six repetition-lag training sessions and their gains on the training and non-trained tasks were compared to those of age-matched healthy controls (n = 30).

Main outcomes and results: All but two patients completed the training, indicating that the

method is feasible with a wide range of patients with stroke. The amount patients gained on the training task was similar to that of healthy controls (that is, the Group × Time interactions were by-and-large not significant), suggesting that patients with stroke might benefit to the same degree as healthy adults from this training. Both groups showed some indication of transfer to the non-trained backward digit span task and visuospatial memory.

Conclusions: These findings show that repetition-lag memory training is a possible approach with patients with stroke to enhance recollection. Further research on the method’s efficacy and effectiveness is warranted.

KEYWORDS:

• Stroke
• memory
• rehabilitation
• recollection
• familiarity

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to Dr. Sharma, Dr. Stotts and Dr. Dowlatshahi for help recruiting patients through the Ottawa Hospital Stroke Clinic.

Declaration of interest

This research was supported by funding from the Heart & Stroke Foundation Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The authors report no conflicts of interest.