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Face Recognition Training for Face Blindness

N/A

Recruiting

Led By Joseph DeGutis, Ph.D.

Research Sponsored by Boston VA Research Institute, Inc.

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

Be older than 18 years old

Must not have

History of a significant neurological disorder including hydrocephalus, stroke, moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), severe neuromuscular diseases, or severe hypoxia due to cardiac arrest

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up baseline, within 2 weeks post-training (approximately 10 weeks after baseline), 12 weeks after training ends (approximately 22 weeks after baseline)

Summary

This trial will test new training methods to improve face processing in people with developmental prosopagnosia. Subjects will be randomly assigned one of three treatments.

Who is the study for?

This trial is for adults aged 18-90 with lifelong difficulties in recognizing faces, impacting daily life. They must perform poorly on specific face recognition tests. Excluded are those with severe cognitive impairments, psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia or major depression, substance dependence, recent behavioral interventions, or significant neurological disorders.

What is being tested?

The study compares two experimental training programs designed to improve face processing abilities in people with developmental prosopagnosia against an active control group. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: perception training, memory training, or placebo control.

What are the potential side effects?

As this trial involves non-medical interventions (training programs), there are no direct medical side effects expected. However, participants may experience fatigue or frustration during the exercises.

Eligibility Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:

Select...

I have a history of serious brain or nerve conditions.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ baseline, within 2 weeks post-training (approximately 10 weeks after baseline), 12 weeks after training ends (approximately 22 weeks after baseline)

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~baseline, within 2 weeks post-training (approximately 10 weeks after baseline), 12 weeks after training ends (approximately 22 weeks after baseline)

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and baseline, within 2 weeks post-training (approximately 10 weeks after baseline), 12 weeks after training ends (approximately 22 weeks after baseline) for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

Change in Cambridge Face Memory Test from baseline to post-training

Change in Face Perception from baseline to post-training

Secondary study objectives

Change in Eye processing ability from baseline to post-training

Change in Face Recollection from baseline to post-training

Change in Holistic processing from baseline to post-training

+2 more

Trial Design

3Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Placebo Group

Group I: Memory TrainingExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Participants will perform 6 weeks of face memory training (5 x 40 min sessions/week) that targets enhancing encoding to improve face recollection. As training progresses, the repetition lags (spaces between repeated foil faces) and number of faces will increase.

Group II: Perception TrainingActive Control1 Intervention

Participants will perform 6 weeks of face perception training (5 x 40 min sessions/week) that require discriminating faces based on internal features (e.g., eyebrow-eye distance). As training progresses, the faces will become more challenging and the face sizes will vary.

Group III: Active Control TrainingPlacebo Group1 Intervention

Participants will perform 6 weeks of face perception training (5 x 40 min sessions/week) that require discriminating faces based on external facial features (e.g., hair). As training progresses, the faces will become more challenging and the face sizes will vary.

0 / 1Eligibility criteria met