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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05924490

Cognitive Engagement and Aging Mind

The purpose of this research is to examine whether and to what extent training of different types of cognitive engagement will improve performance on fluid cognitive abilities that typically decline with age. The research covered by this protocol will use behavioral data that yield response latencies and accuracies of the untrained tasks, and brain activations in fMRI tasks, to test specific hypotheses about neural plasticity and cognitive plasticity from these engagement techniques. Hence, human subjects will be employed in an experiment lasting for 20 hours spanning over 2 months where they will either receive real-time strategy-based videogame training or crystallized intelligence training. In addition, long-term retention data will be obtained after 6 month post-training to investigate any long-term benefits.

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Key information

Conditions

Age-related Cognitive Decline

Age range

50 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

The Center for Vital Longevity (UT Dallas)

Dallas, Texas, 75235, United States

About this study

The purpose of this research is to examine whether and to what extent training of different types of cognitive engagement will improve performance on fluid cognitive abilities that typically decline with age (such as, speed of information processing, working memory capacity, episodic memory, and executive functions). The research covered by this protocol will use behavioral data that yield response latencies and accuracies of the untrained tasks, and brain activations in fMRI tasks, to test specific hypotheses about the extent of transfer, if any, and the underlying cognitive constructs that may be trained in the process. Hence, human subjects will be employed in an experiment lasting for 20 hours spanning over 2 months where they will either receive real-time strategy-based videogame training or crystallized intelligence training. In addition, long-term retention data will be obtained after 6 month post-training to investigate any long-term benefits.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Right-handed
  • over 50 Years of Age
  • native or fluent English speaker
  • not Color-blind
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging eligible
  • Mini Mental Status Examination Score >24

Exclusion criteria

  • Left-handed or ambidextrous
  • younger than 50
  • cannot distinguish colors during color blindness test
  • claustrophobia
  • metal artifact in body
  • over 300 lb
  • pacemaker
  • MMSE score lower than 24
  • history of stroke
  • history of substance or alcohol abuse
  • currently taking anti-psychotic or anti-depression medication

Treatment and study plan

Real-time strategy-based videogame training

Behavioral

Rise of Nation is a complex strategy-based video game, in which individualized-adaptive feedbacks are constantly given to players based on their performance.

Semantic Knowledge training

Behavioral

Packages of various cross-word puzzles include word search, word ladder, and word wheel.

Primary outcomes

  1. Immediate change in the composite score of executive functions

    Time frame: 9-11 weeks

    Change in the composite score of executive functions, and its subcomponents, from baseline to post-training. Higher change in score represents better outcome.

  2. Immediate change in the composite score of episodic memory

    Time frame: 9-11 weeks

    Change in the composite score of episodic memory from baseline to post-training.Higher change in score represents better outcome.

  3. Immediate change in brain activations during executive functions: multi-tasking

    Time frame: 9-11 weeks

    Change in fMRI brain activations from baseline to post-training.

  4. Immediate change in brain activations during executive functions: working memory updating

    Time frame: 9-11 weeks

    Change in fMRI brain activations from baseline to post-training.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Immediate change in the composite score of working memory capacity

    Time frame: 9-11 weeks

    Change in the composite score of working memory capacity from baseline to post-training.Higher change in score represents better outcome.

  2. Immediate change in the fluid reasoning measure

    Time frame: 9-11 weeks

    Change in the fluid reasoning measure (Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices, a paper and pencil test) from baseline to post-training. Higher change in score represents better outcome.

  3. immediate change in the composite score of cognition

    Time frame: 9-11 weeks

    Change in composite score of cognition from baseline to long-term retention. Composite score for overall cognition is summed across composite scores for executive function, processing speed, processing speed, working memory capacity and fluid reasoning. Higher change in score represents better outcome.

Other outcomes

  1. Immediate change in the processing speed construct

    Time frame: 9-11 weeks

    Change in the processing speed construct from baseline to post-training. Higher change in score represents better outcome.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

The University of Texas at Dallas

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Cognitive Engagement and Aging Mind: A Randomized Control Trial to Determine the Effects of Adaptive Real-time Strategy Game Training on Cognition and Brain Functions of Older Adults

Important dates

Study start
2013
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2018
First posted
Jun 29, 2023
Registry last updated
Jun 29, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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