The Effect of Solving Jigsaw Puzzles on Visuospatial Cognition in Older Adults: Jigsaw Puzzles As Cognitive Enrichment (PACE)

University of Ulm

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cognitive Impairment

Treatments: Behavioral: Jigsaw puzzles; Behavioral: Cognitive health counseling

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02667314

Klipsy_044_PACE

Details and patient eligibility

About

Meta-analyses indicate beneficial effects of cognitive training and cognitively challenging video games on cognition. However, cognitive effects of solving jigsaw puzzles - a popular, visuospatial cognitive leisure activity - have not been investigated, yet. Thus, the primary aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of solving jigsaw puzzles on visuospatial cognition. As secondary aims, effects on psychological outcomes (self-efficacy, perceived stress, well-being) and visuospatial everyday functioning (instrumental activities of daily living and self-reported cognitive failures in everyday life) are examined.

Full description

see References section below for the study protocol article

Enrollment: 100 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 50+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• No cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination ≥ 24)
• Commitment to minimum jigsaw puzzle time (1 hour/day, 6 days/week, 5 weeks)
• Interest in jigsaw puzzles
• Low jigsaw puzzle experience (less than 5 completed puzzles within the last 5 years)

Exclusion criteria

• Cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination < 24)
• Participation in another interventional study
• Self-reported psychiatric, neurologic or other disease, which could affect cognitive change over time
• Self-reported, severe visual impairment or motoric impairment of the upper extremity which significantly affects ability to solve jigsaw puzzles

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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100 participants in 2 patient groups

Jigsaw Puzzle Group

Experimental group

Description:

Jigsaw puzzles \& Cognitive health counseling

Treatment:

Behavioral: Cognitive health counseling

Behavioral: Jigsaw puzzles

Cognitive Health Counseling Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

Cognitive health counseling only

Treatment:

Behavioral: Cognitive health counseling