Musical Training Programme to Improve Neurocognitive Functioning of Children Surviving Brain Tumours

Brain Tumor Clinical Trial

Official title:

Feasibility Study of a Musical Training Program in Improving the Neurocognitive Functioning of Children Surviving Brain Tumours

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Active, not recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05202925
• Other study ID #: HKCH-REC-2021-008
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: October 1, 2021
• Est. completion date: December 1, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: February 2024
• Source: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

We aim to conduct a feasibility study to determine the feasibility and suitability of implementing a musical training program for children surviving brain tumours. This study will demonstrate the feasibility of implementing a musical training program in improving the neurocognitive functioning of surviving brain tumours.

Description:

Brain tumour is the second most common childhood cancer in Hong Kong. Evidence shows that cancer and its treatments have long-term and lasting adverse effects on the neurocognitive functioning of paediatric brain tumour survivors, including the impairment of intellectual development and deficits in attention, working memory, processing speed and executive functions. There has been an increase in the use of musical training to promote the neuro-rehabilitation of patients suffering from stroke and Parkinson's disease, and to improve reading skills and academic achievement in young poor readers, and to enhance children's cognitive development. We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) from 2017 to 2018 to examine the effectiveness of musical training on psychological outcomes and quality of life in Chinese paediatric brain tumour survivors. The results showed that participants who received a weekly 45-min lesson on musical training for 52 weeks (intervention group) reported statistically significant fewer depressive symptoms, higher levels of self-esteem, and better quality of life than those who received placebo intervention (control group) at 12-month demonstrating the effectiveness of musical training intervention. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether musical training can also be used to improve neurocognitive functioning, in particular the attention, processing speed, and executive functions of children surviving brain tumours.

The overall aim of this proposed study will be to assess the feasibility of a musical training program in improving the neurocognitive functioning of children surviving brain tumours. The objectives of this feasibility study are as follows:

1. To ascertain the feasibility of recruitment and data collection in the outpatient clinic of the Hong Kong Children's Hospital;

2. To assess the response and retention rates of the study;

3. To examine the content of the proposed musical training program for its appropriateness, comprehensiveness and duration to the target participants;

4. To evaluate the appropriateness and feasibility of using various assessment tools in measuring the intelligence, attention, processing speed and executive functions of the paediatric brain tumour survivors; and

5. To assess any changes in neurocognitive functioning of children surviving brain tumours after receiving musical training for 52 weeks.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Enrollment: 40
• Est. completion date: December 1, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: February 15, 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 7 Years to 16 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. children who have completed cancer treatment at least 2 months previously;

2. aged between 7 and 16 years,

3. able to speak Cantonese and read Chinese, and

4. those who have not undertaken any musical training following their cancer diagnosis.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. those survivors with evidence of cancer recurrence or second malignancy in their medical records

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Brain Neoplasms
• Brain Tumor
• Cancer Childhood

Intervention

Other:
• Musical Training Program
a weekly 45-minute lesson, one-to-one musical training

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Hong Kong	The Hong Kong Children's Hospital	Hong Kong

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University	Health and Medical Research Fund

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Hong Kong, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Recruitment rate of the study	the proportion of subjects who are eligible and invited and consent to participate.	at baseline before the start of the intervention
Primary	Response rate of the study	The proportion of subjects who complete the questionnaires and assessments at baseline and 12 months after starting the intervention	at baseline and 12 months after starting the intervention
Primary	Retention rate of the study	The proportion of subjects who complete the whole intervention from baseline to 12 months.	at baseline and 12 months after starting the intervention
Secondary	Nonverbal intelligence scores of the subject	Measured by the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence, 4th edition (TONI-4)	at baseline and 12 months after starting the intervention
Secondary	Attention scores of the subject	Measured by the Digit Span	at baseline and 12 months after starting the intervention
Secondary	Processing speed scores of the subject	Measured by the Children's Color Trails Test (CCTT)	at baseline and 12 months after starting the intervention
Secondary	Executive functions scores of the subject	Measured by the Children's Color Trails Test (CCTT)	at baseline and 12 months after starting the intervention