Effects of Board Games on Balance in Association With Cognition in Community-Dwelling Elderly.

Riphah International University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Geriatric Population

Treatments: Other: Board Games

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06047769

REC01539 Muhammad Ammar

Details and patient eligibility

About

As age progress incidence of fall increases. Cognitively impaired patients have poor balance and they are more prone to falls. Balance and cognitive functions are co-related in middle-aged and community-dwelling elderly. In fact age-related cognitive decline as the brain ages it has exceptional neuroplasticity. To maintain balance and prevent falls various cognitive processes are required. Board games can be used as tools for cognitive training as they have the means to restore and form motor skills, cognitive functioning, and logical and spatial thinking. Cognitive training using simple games might improve the elements of balance and gait, and prevent falls.

Full description

In fact age-related cognitive decline, as the brain ages, it has exceptional neuroplasticity. This can be achieved by cognitive training which consists of domain-specific task completion or exercises to promote neurogenesis in that domain. Cognitive training is an approach towards enhancing neural plasticity by focusing on and training cognitive domains for balance improvement. Board games can be used as tools for cognitive training as they have the means to restore and form motor skills, cognitive functioning, and logical and spatial thinking. A board game is a generic term for a game played by placing, moving or removing pieces on a board and that utilizes a game format in which pieces are moved in particular ways on a board marked with a pattern. As a tool, board games can improve comprehension and cognitive functioning among participants.

As per a study, computer-based cognitive training by simple games such as Road Tour, Jewel Diver, and Sweep Seeker improved visuospatial memory, speed of processing and inhibition which in turn improved balance and gait, and prevented falls in community-dwelling elderly but as per the author's access, there's lack of standardization in terms of types of cognitive training program intended to improve balance in the elderly population by using simple board games. Hence, the author established the research question of whether is this technique effective in the elderly population in terms of its effects on cognition and balance to prevent falls. This study will provide insight to the clinician on whether board games-based cognitive training improves balance and prevents fall risk in the elderly population.

Enrollment: 64 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 60+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Males and Female participants aged 60 years or older.
• Score of 26 or more on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
• At least one self-reported fall within the last 2 years or (BBS) score less than 52 and more than 41.
• Subjects who are willing to commit to the time commitments required by the program.

Exclusion criteria

• Those who will not meet the inclusion criteria.
• Presence of any physical limitation that may limit hand movement.
• Presence of a severe walking or balance impairment For Example; (Amputation, or Fracture at that time.)
• Self-reported presence of vertigo
• Any visual disease
• Currently using psychotropic medications.
• Presence of any neurological disorder

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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64 participants in 2 patient groups

Interventional Group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive cognitive training in board games including Ludo, Chutes \& Ladder and Chess with both single and multiplayer modes. After 1 week of training, participants will receive intervention of 1 hour per day, three days a week for 8 weeks completing a total of 1440 minutes. With this technique, we will target the cognitive process of information processing, speed and executive function of the patient.

Treatment:

Other: Board Games

Control group

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants will receive no intervention and will be observed for 8 weeks.