Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of the present randomized control trial is to evaluate the efficacy of a novel cognitive training approach using simulated games, where older adults will learn to flexibly deploy attentional control during working memory, for prevention of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Based on our extensive pilot work, we expect training-related enhancements in both neural and cognitive functions on a broad range of cognitive abilities due to the importance of attentional control and working memory in many types of cognition. These outcomes are widely applicable to the cognitive health and the quality of life of elderly Americans, and have further potential to offset degenerative processes common to normal aging.


Clinical Trial Description

Almost all older adults experience cognitive frailty with age, with around one-third of adults aged 85 or older suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cognitive frailty, particularly AD, threatens to overwhelm medical resources in the United States and much of the developed world. Therefore, it is important that we learn how to optimize and maintain cognitive performance in cognitively-frail older adults, particularly those who are at high risk of suffering from AD, such as adults over 70 years of age where more than half express AD pathology. The present multi-arm randomized control trial takes a novel theory-driven approach to enhancing cognition in older adults by training them to flexibly deploy attentional focus in working memory. Flexibility in allocating and switching attentional resources will be trained by having participants respond to unpredictable cues in working memory. The ability to flexibly and efficiently allocate attentional control underlies successful performance on a broad array of cognitive tasks. Hence, training in this area may enhance performance not only on related tasks (near transfer) but also on tasks that are perceptibly not related to the training task (far transfer). The current proposal has three training arms and utilizes game-based simulations in all arms in healthy older adults. The first two arms use experimenter-designed simulation games, where participants will be trained on either predictable low attentional control (Arm 1) or unpredictable high attentional control (Arm 2) working memory games. The third arm uses a commercially available strategy game requiring the highest level of attentional control, by adding multi-tasking to the unpredictable attentional shifts in working memory. In all three training arms, neural and cognitive changes in near (secondary outcome) and far (primary outcome) transfer tasks will be examined immediately after the intervention; cognitive changes will also be assessed at 6-month post-training duration. Additionally, a single-session, baseline neuroimaging data (no training) will be collected in a functional control group of younger adults. We expect that the high attentional control training arms will greatly improve both near and far cognition in older adults, with cognitive frailty interacting with the extent to which attentional control is trained. High attentional control training arms are also expected to heighten compensatory brain activation after the intervention, for both near and far in-scanner transfer tasks, mimicking the baseline activity of younger brains. These training arms are also expected to positively impact brain structures that progressively decline with aging. This clinical trial will result in the development of behavioral intervention tools, which will have the potential to delay the onset of memory-related disorders, such as AD, by instantiating durable improvements in cognitive functions in older adults. Such interventions can not only improve an individual's quality of life but also decrease the financial burden of a rapidly aging society. ;


Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT03988829
Study type Interventional
Source The University of Texas at Dallas
Contact
Status Completed
Phase N/A
Start date September 30, 2018
Completion date August 31, 2021

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Recruiting NCT03210428 - Quantitative MR Imaging in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer
Recruiting NCT05575583 - rTMS in the Prevention and Treatment of Postoperative Executive Dysfunction N/A
Completed NCT01244282 - A Study of Two Methodologies for Measuring Blood Flow in the Brain in Response to Non-Drug Stimuli (P08085/MK-0000-180) Phase 1
Completed NCT03868358 - Effect of Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS) for Alleviating Symptoms of Schizophrenia Patients N/A
Completed NCT02863094 - Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) Treatment for Schizophrenia Patients With Auditory Hallucinations N/A
Recruiting NCT05502822 - High Definition Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (HD-tACS) for Post-stroke Aphasia N/A
Recruiting NCT05221632 - Accelerated Continue Theta-burst Stimulation (acTBS)Treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disease N/A
Not yet recruiting NCT06376500 - Effects of tDCS for Enhancing Cognitive Function in Individuals With Persistent Post-Concussion Syndrome N/A
Enrolling by invitation NCT03232463 - Study for the Evaluation of the Feasibility of Applying Advanced MRI Scanning in Clinical Practice
Recruiting NCT04599764 - High Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) for Early Alzheimer's Disease N/A
Completed NCT03946839 - Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) of Brain in ICU Survivors With Cognitive Impairment
Completed NCT02969941 - Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) Treatment for Parkinson Disease N/A
Recruiting NCT03262753 - Long-term Outcomes and Vascular Evaluation After Coarctation of the Aorta Treatment N/A
Recruiting NCT05440292 - Effects of Individualized Accurate Positioning TMS Based on Task fMRI Activation on Upper Extremity Function After Stroke N/A
Completed NCT03472703 - Effect of Consumption on Cognitive Processes N/A
Recruiting NCT05194254 - MRI-Eye Tracking Pairing, a Tool for Assessing Social Cognition in Children With ASD N/A
Not yet recruiting NCT06027190 - Randomized Controlled Study of Optical 3D Navigated Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Achalasia. N/A
Recruiting NCT05286645 - Intervention Effect of High Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) on Depressive Disorder N/A
Completed NCT03965338 - Assessment of Brain Activity During Complex Fine Hand Movements: an fMRI Study N/A
Recruiting NCT03991572 - rTMS Intervention on Motivational Anhedonia of Treatment Resistant Depression and Brian Network Mechanism N/A