CompletedNot Applicable

Temporal Disorders in Left and Right Brain-Damaged Patients

Italy74 participantsStarted 2019-02-01

Plain-language summary

Time is an important function that permeates our everyday activities but it has been so far significantly under-investigated in neurological patients. For instance, it is known that right brain damaged (RBD) patients with spatial attentional deficit (neglect) are impaired in both the ability to estimate the duration of an event (Time Estimation), showing a time underestimation, and the ability of mentally moving in past and future time (Mental Time Travelling), showing a deficit in processing future events when they are projected in the past. After a leftward shift of spatial attention induced by prismatic adaptation (PA), both the underestimation and the ability to travel in time ameliorate. However, less is known about these abilities in left brain damaged (LBD) patients. Aims of this study are to investigate: i) the performance (in terms of accuracy and reaction times) of LBD and RBD patients on Mental Time Travelling; ii) the correlation between Mental Time Travelling and Time Estimation abilities; iii) the efficacy of a single session of PA inducing a leftward (L-PA) and a rightward (R-PA) attentional shift on Mental Time Travelling and Time Estimation abilities. A group of control subjects will be involved for comparison among groups.

Who can participate

Age range

45 Years – 85 Years

Sex

ALL

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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * patients with focal (right or left) brain-damage Exclusion Criteria: * generalized cognitive impairment (score lower than 24 at the Mini Mental State Examination) * psychiatric disorders * additional neurological disorders * abusive use of alcohol or illicit drugs

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Change in Mental Time Travel Ability on the Mental Time Travel (MTT) Task

Timeframe: pre-PA and immediately post-PA

Change in Time Estimation Ability on the Time Estimation Task

Timeframe: pre-PA and immediately post-PA

Trial details

NCT IDNCT04424199

SponsorIstituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SpA

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeOBSERVATIONAL

Primary completion2022-12-31

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