View clinical trials related to Cognitive Change.
Filter by:The investigators' study is designed to test whether brief exposure to a martial arts-based intervention (a coordinative, partnered training exercise known as "Hubod"), can improve cognitive function to a greater degree than aerobic exercise of a similar intensity.
The study will enroll 90 participants in the "Impact of Challenging Engagement" study and assign them to one of three groups: high-demand photography, moderate-demand photography, and active placebo. These initial groups will allow us to collect data and address the feasibility of converting the project into a full trial. Participants will participate in one of three different engagement conditions for 15 hours per week, based on successful results from the initial Active Interventions for the Aging Mind (AIM) study - approved by University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) Institutional Review Board (IRB) #072010-144. In the Impact of Challenging Engagement study, the lab will expand on the results of the AIM study to determine if high-demand activities result in any observable brain changes when compared to moderate demand or placebo activities. Behavioral and neural measures of cognitive change will be assessed, providing considerable insight into mechanisms of change. Participants will be characterized thoroughly in terms of behavioral tests of cognitive function, and a subset of subjects who meet neuroimaging criteria will undergo a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) procedure.
The investigators are looking to determine the effects of PEMFs device on cerebral blood flow and cognition in healthy volunteers. Through in vitro tests and in vivo animal studies, the investigators have shown that at an extremely low flux density (strength) of 1 millitesla (mT) and with short exposures of 10 minutes a week, PEMFs can recapitulate many of the healthful benefits of exercise without imparting a mechanical stress on the tissues and cells. In the first-in-man study, 10 healthy volunteers were exposed to PEMFs for 6 weeks with 10 minutes of field exposure per week, and experienced an average increase of 30% in leg strength. No side effects were reported. In this study, the investigators aim to understand the cerebral effects of an exercise mimetic (PEMFs) via the muscle milieu.
The three primary goals of this pilot will be followed by a secondary goal to test if dental intervention improves brain health in terms of sleep and cognition. The primary and secondary goals are 1. Explore the ratios of brain energy (ATP/PCr, Pi/PCr) and phospholipids (PME/PDE) metabolites as measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 7 Tesla, and compare the differences in them with the performance of episodic memory, attention, language, and executive functions (abstraction, reasoning, verbal fluency, working memory) in three groups: cognitively normal adults, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). 2. Investigate the differences in sleep patterns measured by the ratio sleep quality index (Stable/ Unstable sleep) in cognitively normal adults, MCI and AD and its relation to the performance of episodic memory, attention, language, and executive functions (abstraction, reasoning, verbal fluency, working memory) in three groups. 3. Investigate the differences in the variations of two genes, APOE-E4 and ABCA7, in relationship to the changes in the brain energy metabolites and its relation to the performance of episodic memory, attention, language, and executive functions (abstraction, reasoning, verbal fluency, working memory) in those with cognitively normal adults, MCI and AD. 4. Investigate if dental intervention improves sleep patterns and overall cognitive behavior in the three cohorts.
This pilot study aims to investigate the effects of 8-week SMARTfit training versus conventional physical training on motor function, cognition and brain functional connectivity in individuals with PD. The investigators hypothesize that clinical and physical performance will improve after SMARTfit training more than after conventional physical training.
Objective: The primary objective of this trial is to investigate whether prednisolone improves symptom severity as compared to placebo when given in addition to antipsychotic medication to patients with early-stage psychotic disorder. Secondary objectives include improvement of cognitive functioning and positive, negative and general psychopathological symptoms as well as general functioning. Study design: Randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trial. Study population: 90 men and women, with an age of 18 years and older, diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorder. The time interval between the onset of psychosis and study entry should not exceed five years and CRP level should be at least 3.9 mg/L. Intervention: Patients will be randomized 1:1 to either prednisolone or placebo daily for a period of 6 weeks. Identical tablets will be administered. Prednisolone will be initiated at 40 mg for three days, after which it will be phased out within 6 weeks after start, following current treatment guidelines. Main study parameters/endpoints: Primary outcome is change in symptom severity, expressed as a change in total score on the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) from baseline to end of the 6-week treatment. Secondary outcomes are a 6-month follow-up assessment of PANSS, cognitive functioning (measured through a repeatable neurocognitive battery, change in GAF scores and the measurement of various immunological biomarkers. In post-hoc analyses, attempts will be made to identify baseline blood markers with predictive properties regarding improvement in the anti-inflammatory drug treatment arm. Expected benefits for consumers and care givers: A decrease in symptom severity is expected, as low grade brain inflammation may be associated with psychotic symptoms. The results may give raise to a new line of scientific research as well as treatment options for a disabling disorder.
The purpose of this study is to determine what percentage of patients have cognitive problems (for example, memory or concentration difficulties) after surgery and anesthesia, what the characteristics of these problems are, and whether they persist over time. In particular, the investigators want to study this in the French-speaking Quebec population with cognitive evaluation tools adapted for this population.
The two primary study objectives involve examining the effects of treadmill walking exercise training versus stretching-and-toning activities on the primary and secondary outcomes. Specific Aim 1: The first specific aim is to examine the effects of 3-months of treadmill walking exercise training compared with an active control condition on learning and memory outcomes in fully-ambulatory persons with MS who have impairment in learning new information. We hypothesize that those who undergo treadmill walking exercise training will demonstrate improvements in learning and memory relative to those who undergo stretching-and-toning activities. Specific Aim 2: The second specific aim is to examine the effects of 3-months of treadmill walking exercise training compared with an active control condition on hippocampal volume, hippocampal resting-state functional connectivity, and cardiorespiratory fitness in those persons with MS. We hypothesize that those who are randomly assigned to the treadmill walking exercise condition will demonstrate increases in hippocampal volume and resting-state functional connectivity (i.e., adaptive increases) and improved cardiorespiratory fitness relative to those in the stretching-and-toning condition.