Conversations as a Means to Delay the Onset of Alzheimer's Disease (conversation)

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)

Status and phase: Completed; Early Phase 1

Conditions: Cognitive Change; Mild Cognitive Impairment

Treatments: Behavioral: Active social engagement group; Behavioral: Control group

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT01571427

socialengagementR01

R01AG033581 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Past epidemiological studies have demonstrated that larger social networks, or more frequent social interactions, could have potential protective effects on the incidence of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). However, in those studies, indicators of social interactions were often broad, and included distinct elements that affected cognition and overall health. This project will examine whether conversation-based cognitive stimulation has positive effects on domain-specific cognitive functions among the elderly. Face-to-face communication will be conducted through the use of personal computers, webcams, and user-friendly simple interactive Internet programs to allow participants to have social engagement while staying at their home and also for the cost effective execution of the study.

Full description

Participants are randomized into the control group (weekly 10 minutes phone check-in only) or experimental group (30 minutes daily video chat with standardized/trained conversational staff). User-friendly equipment and internet are provided.

Enrollment: 83 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 70+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Non-demented participants
• Willing to participate in daily conversation using internet/webcam with interviewers for 6 weeks
• Willing to monitor daily conversational amount using a digital recording device
• Willing informant who has frequent contact with the participant

Exclusion criteria

• have major illness or disabilities which interfere with interacting using the audio/video technology
• diagnosed as dementia
• MMSE < 24 at screening
• Geriatric Depression Scale (15 items) >4 at screening

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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83 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Control group

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

No daily conversational sessions with interviewers using webcam/internet. Weekly web-based heath form must be submitted using internet/PC. If not, subjects receive prompts from study personnel.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Control group

Active social engagement group

Active Comparator group

Description:

Engage in 30 minutes video chat daily (5 times per week, except weekend) with interviewers for 6 weeks. Weekly web-based heath form must be submitted using internet/PC. If not, subjects receive prompts from study personnel.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Active social engagement group