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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04195230

Cognitive Multi-Tasking Training in Healthy Older Adults

This study evaluated the feasibility of a remote web-based ecological cognitive training protocol to healthy older adults. The training protocol involves 5 training sessions.

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Key information

Conditions

Age-related Cognitive Decline

Age range

60 year–75 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Columbia University

New York, 10032, United States

About this study

Previous research demonstrated the relevance in training cognitive abilities that typically decline with age, such as those associated with executive control (e.g., abstract thinking, selective and divided attention, planning, task-switching and inhibitory control). The aim of the present study is to investigate the feasibility of a web-based cognitive training focused on executive control to cognitively healthy older adults. The participants will undergo the web-training in a daily type situation of meal preparation (i.e., Breakfast Game). The training protocol combines the tasks of table setting and cooking in a multi-tasking fashion. In some sessions Emphasis Change approach will be apply to the training, in order to assess it feasibility and potential effects in optimizing the performance. In addition, participants will undergo a brief web-based cognitive evaluation before and after training. If feasible, the investigators protocol will allow training older adults in critical cognitive skills for daily life situations. The web-based training is an advancement since it can be delivered at-home, remotely supervised, and is easily scalable. Recently, remote interventions have been particularly relevant to older adults due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which may limit in-person research participation.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Cognitively healthy older adults

Exclusion criteria

  • Low test scores (below 26 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment - MoCA)
  • Presence of certain medical conditions (i.e., major neurological or psychiatric disorder, or a medical condition that may impact cognitive functioning).
  • Subjects which English is not the primary language, or with lack of capacity to consent will not be enrolled.

Treatment and study plan

Multi-tasking Training

Behavioral

Participants will undergo training protocol where they will have, concomitantly, to cook different meals and set the table under different instructions, rules and difficulty level.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Cooking Time Discrepancy Scores

    Time frame: Up to 3 weeks

    Change in cooking time (milliseconds) in each food type. In the computerized task, participants are asked to cook different food types. Scores reflect the average absolute values of the difference between the required and actual cooking time of each item. Lowers scores (closest to zero) represent a better outcome.

  2. Change in Range of Stop Times Score

    Time frame: Up to 3 weeks

    Change in cooking time (milliseconds) between food items. In the computerized task, participants are asked to cook different food types. Scores reflect is the difference between the first and last food item stopped cooking. Lowers scores (closest to zero) represent a better outcome.

  3. Change in the Number of Tables Set Score

    Time frame: Up to 3 weeks

    Change in the total number of tables set. In the computerized task, participants are asked to set tables for four guests, when finished, one point is given. Higher scores represent a better outcome.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Post-training feasibility questionnaire

    Time frame: Within one week after the intervention

    Questionnaire assessing participant´s opinions about performing the web-based training based on Breakfast Game (e.g., difficulty, satisfaction). Higher scores reflect feasibility of the intervention.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Columbia University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Cognitive Training in a Multi-task Daily Life Task: a Feasibility Study in Healthy Older Adults

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2021
Study completion
2021
First posted
Dec 11, 2019
Registry last updated
Feb 28, 2022

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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