Using Brain Gauge to assess performance in alcohol misusers.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Using the Brain Gauge to assess cognitive performance recovery in people undergoing residential detoxification and rehabilitation for alcohol dependence. **Research will be advertised as "Memory performance during alcohol detoxification" to participants to avoid confusion with technical terms**
IRAS ID
236709
Contact name
Catharine Montgomery
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Liverpool John Moores University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 28 days
Research summary
The UK drugs strategy (2017) supports recovery from substance-related problems through tailored interventions, and suggests individual-level factors should be considered alongside structural determinants. The integrity of cognitive processes can predict how well an individual will recover from substance use. This pilot study will test the diagnostic utility of a novel brain measurement device, to evaluate validated cognitive tasks as indicators of recovery in alcohol dependent individuals. Participants commencing a structured, time-limited alcohol rehabilitation programme will complete computer-based measures of cognition, and have their cortical-metrics measured using the Brain Gauge, a computer peripheral assessing cortical response to vibrotactile stimulation. We will assess differences between recovering alcohol dependents at varying rehabilitation time-points, to establish if cortical activity and cognitive processes correlate with other aspects of recovery. This will allow the development of biomarkers of recovery, and help treatment workers and people receiving support understand some individual level predictors of treatment outcome.
REC name
London - Brent Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/0414
Date of REC Opinion
5 Apr 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion