Age-related Longitudinal Changes in Aviator Performance

Memory Impairment Clinical Trial

Official title:

Age-related Longitudinal Changes in Aviator Performance

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01364753
• Other study ID #: SU-06302009-2940
• Secondary ID: R37AG012713
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: May 31, 2011
• Last updated: December 5, 2016
• Start date: January 2006
• Est. completion date: December 2014

Study information

• Verified date: December 2016
• Source: Stanford University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

Our overall goal has been twofold: 1) to evaluate whether there are significant age-related changes in flight simulator performance near age 60, and 2) to assess whether there is an alternative model that can explain longitudinal flight simulator performance on the basis of measures of cognitive function and expertise.

Description:

Our overall goal has been twofold: 1) to evaluate whether there are significant age-related changes in flight simulator performance near age 60, and 2) to assess whether there is an alternative model that can explain longitudinal flight simulator performance on the basis of measures of cognitive function and expertise. Such a model might be able to predict change in aviator performance better than what could be predicted by chronological age alone.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 139
• Est. completion date: December 2014
• Est. primary completion date: June 2014
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 45 Years to 70 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:1) licensed aircraft pilot 2) 45 to 70 years of age 3) at least 100 hours of total flight experience 4) current FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) medical certificate of class III or higher

Exclusion Criteria:1) taking psychotropic medications 2) taking other medications with arousal or sedative effects

Study Design

Observational Model: Ecologic or Community, Time Perspective: Prospective

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Memory Impairment

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	VA Palo Alto Health Care System	Palo Alto	California

Sponsors (3)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Stanford University	National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Aviation-related performance over time.	Participants "fly" in our computerized flight simulator and perform a set of brief tasks designed to measure reaction time and attention span. The study is longitudinal, collecting information about aviation-related performance over time. There is an initial training period, followed by annual visits. During the training period participants learn how to "fly" the simulator, and performance on certain standard maneuvers will be measured during a maximum of 6 simulated flights. At each annual visit, participants fly two 75-minute simulated flights and may be asked to perform up to four holding patterns and instrument landings.	longitudinal	No