Improvement in Memory With Plasticity-Based Adaptive Cognitive Training (IMPACT)

Posit Science

Status

Completed

Conditions

Aging

Treatments

Other: Educational DVDs

Other: Computerized Plasticity-Based Adaptive Cognitive Training

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Industry

Identifiers

NCT00283010

OUT-105-2005

Details and patient eligibility

About

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of a computer-based training program on the memory and cognitive abilities of mature individuals undergoing healthy aging.

Full description

The computer-based training program is focused on speech reception to strengthen an individual's memory for speech. This type of training program was chosen because speech perception and memory are crucial elements of human communication and losses in this area are often the first signal of overall cognitive decline.

Subjects meeting eligibility criteria and providing written, informed consent are randomized to one of two 40-session, computerized training programs.

Enrollment

487 patients

Sex

All

Ages

65+ years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Age 65 or older at the time of consent.
Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 26 or higher.
Fluent English speaker. For the purposes of this study, fluency will be defined as living in an English speaking country and attending an English speaking school by the age of six (participants will demonstrate fluency by reading aloud a selected paragraph).
Visual capacity adequate to read 14 point type (participants will demonstrate visual capacity by reading aloud a selected sentence).
Adequate hearing capacity. (Participants will demonstrate by repeating a series of words spoken by the screening clinician; the words will be spoken while a view of the clinician's mouth is obstructed to prevent lip-reading.)
Willing and able to commit to the 6-month time requirement of the entire study period with an emphasis on availability for the 8-10 week computer based training.

Exclusion criteria

Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 25 or lower.
Self-report of current diagnosis or history of major neurological illness. Specifically:
- Alzheimer's disease
- Parkinson's disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Self-report of current diagnosis or history of psychiatric illness. Specifically:
- Major depressive disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Post traumatic stress disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Self-reported history of psychiatric hospitalization.
History of a stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), or traumatic brain injury within the past year; or lifetime history of stroke, TIA, or traumatic brain injury that has left residual expressive or receptive language problems. Traumatic brain injuries include, but are not limited to: concussion with loss of consciousness; head trauma with loss of consciousness; persistent migraines (persistent being defined as a predictable pattern occurring more frequently than every other month); and history of seizure disorder.
Fibromyalgia or symptoms of tremor severe enough to prevent the use of a computer mouse or other pointing device. Clinician to observe participant during signature of consent form, during drawing portion of Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) assessment, and to directly ask participant as instructed in the Body Image Ideals Questionnaire (BIQ) to make tremor assessment.
Self-report of current substance abuse, including alcoholism.
Current use, or use within the past 3 months, of medications with substantial central nervous system (CNS) effects, including acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and medications with either anticholinergic or antidepressant properties.
Behaviors during screening or baseline visits that, in the judgment of the screening clinician, are likely to present significant problems for the trainers in the in home setting may be excluded at the discretion of the clinician. Such behaviors include significant uncooperative behavior, significant rudeness or temper management problems, or inappropriate physical conduct.
Unable to perform neuropsychological evaluations.
Participant is not capable of giving informed consent or is unable to comprehend and/or follow instructions.
Participant is enrolled in a concurrent clinical study that could affect the outcome of this study.