Once Weekly Spaced Retrieval
Training can Lead to Learning in
People with Dementia.
Chris Materne, Mary Luszcz & Malcolm Bond
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Chris Materne, B Psych (Hons)
Mary, Luszcz, PhD
Malcolm Bond, PhD
Have no real or apparent
conflicts of interest to report.
Rationale
• Need exists for a range of
nonpharmacological options in response to
increasing incidence of dementia
• Spaced retrieval has demonstrated
effectiveness when delivered intensively and
with individuals with moderate to severe
dementia
Aims of Study
• Assess effectiveness of spaced retrieval
training delivered once per week in
community dwelling individuals
• Identify if any long term benefits
• Ascertain relationship of spaced retrieval
training effectiveness with range of cognitive
measures
Spaced Retrieval
• Practise at successfully recalling information
over progressively longer intervals
• Ultimate goal - ability to recall information
and/or use skills over clinically meaningful
periods of time
Baseline characteristics
Characteristic (n = 14)
Mean (SD)
Age (yrs)
81.64 (5.98)
Education (yrs)
11.00 (2.63)
Estimated IQ (from NART errors)
105.41 (9.09)
MMSE
19.79 (7.25)
RBANS Total Index
60.64 (15.15)
RBANS Attention Index
85.07 (24.71)
RBMT Adjusted Profile Score Total
1.14 (2.45)
TMT–A (secs)(n=13)
98.77 (69.12)
DSS (# symbols in 120 secs)(n=11)
27.46 (11.03)
Baseline Characteristics
Number : Number
Women : Men
10 : 4
Living with Family member : Alone
10 : 4
Participant Partner –
Spouse: Daughter : Son : Sibling
7:5:1:1
AD : FTD : Non Specific Dementia
10 : 1 : 3
Self Rated Health – Ave : Good : Very Good
5:7:1
Dementia Related Medication
6
Sidney
• Male 81 years old
• 15 years education
• MMSE = 13
Recall
Prompt
Use
Info/strategy
post –intervention
Yes
Yes
3 month
follow up
Yes
Yes
6 month
follow up
Yes
Yes
Ruth
• Female 94 years old
• 11 years education
• MMSE = 19
Recall
Prompt
Use
Info/strategy
post –intervention
No
No
3 month
follow up
No
No
6 month
follow up
N/A
N/A
April
• Female 88 Years old
• 10 years education
• MMSE = 25
Recall
Prompt
Use
Info/strategy
post –intervention
Yes
Yes
3 month
follow up
No
Yes
6 month
follow up
No
Yes
Spaced Retrieval Training Retention
Post3 Month
intervention Follow up
Correct, using strategy
6 Month
Follow up
12
7
5
Correct, not using strategy
-
-
-
Incorrect, using strategy
-
2
2
Incorrect, not using strategy
1
3
3
Strategy no longer appropriate
-
1
3
Entries show number per category
Spaced Retrieval: Correlations
with Performance
MMSE
RBANS
(Tot)
# Trials to 20 min
recall
# Trials to 1 week
recall
.891**
-.599*
-.528
-.537
-.468
RBANS (Tot)
RBANS (Attn)
.886**
-.576*
-.488
TMT
-.696**
.387
.233
DSS
.606*
-.165
-.061
RBMT
.651*
-.691**
-.676*
* = p < .05, ** = p < .001
Conclusions
• Spaced retrieval training generally well
tolerated by people in early & moderate stages
of dementia
• Appears to be effective form of memory
training when delivered weekly to achieve a
variety of goals
• Appears to be fairly robust post-training, with
scope to enhance retention