Cognitive Flexibility Training in Persistent Pain

The Washington University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Pain

Treatments: Behavioral: Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry

Identifiers

NCT03398408

201706064

Details and patient eligibility

About

To determine whether participation in a cognitive training program over a training period of five weeks improves cognitive flexibility in patients with chronic hip, knee, and back pain.

Full description

This project is a single-center prospective, randomized study to assess whether cognitive flexibility can be improved through training on a Lumosity®-based training module over the course a five week timeframe in patients with chronic hip, knee, and back pain; and whether changes in cognitive flexibility will correlate with perceived pain scores.

Enrollment: 150 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 70 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adults age 18 to 70 with chronic hip, knee, or low back pain for >3 months
• Documented moderate to severe chronic pain
• English as a primary language
• Access to a computer at home and an email account

Exclusion criteria

• Diagnosed Alzheimer's or documented severe cognitive impairment
• Lack of email/lack of basic computer skills
• Has undergone an interventional pain procedure within one week prior to enrollment
• Are scheduled to undergo a pain procedure during the five weeks of complete cognitive training

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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150 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Patients in both groups will complete paper-pencil TMT A and B and the CWMST, the computer-based TMT A and B and Color Match, and NCPT tests upon enrollment into the study. Participants in the intervention group will then be provided with the Lumosity cognitive flexibility training module and complete daily training for a total of five weeks. 1-3 days after completion of their training, all patients will be invited to complete the computerized versions of the TMT A and B, Color Match, and NCPT tests again on their personal computers.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Training

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Patients in both groups will complete paper-pencil TMT A and B and the CWMST, the computer-based TMT A and B and Color Match, and NCPT tests upon enrollment into the study. Patients in the control group will complete all tests upon enrollment and approximately five weeks after their initial testing, but will not participate in training.