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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT03175822

Effects of Visual Art Training on Dementia

The purpose of the proposed study is to better understand what benefits visual art has on reducing problematic symptoms in dementia patients, including those with Alzheimer's disease.

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Key information

Conditions

Dementia Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurocognitive Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Alzheimer's Society of York Region

Aurora, Ontario, Canada

About this study

Participants:

Participants will be residents, attendees and/or members of assisted living locations and/or dementia (or related) day programs. There will be two groups: an art training group and a waitlist control group.

Data Analysis:

  • For primary measures, t-tests on pre-post difference scores comparing art training and waitlist groups.
  • For possible confounding effects, tests for confounds related to background factors (socioeconomic status, education level, gender, activity participation).

Procedure:

A randomized controlled trial design will be utilized to assess two groups of dementia patients: an art training experimental group and a structured usual-activity waitlist control group. The experimental group will participate in a visual art training program and the waitlist control group will participate in their usual structured group activities. The waitlist control group will receive the art training program once post-testing is complete. Before, during, and/or after the art programs and/or control activities, participants will be observed and complete assessments.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Dementia

Exclusion criteria

  • Inability to participate in the art training program due to physical or cognitive limitations

Treatment and study plan

Visual Arts Training

Behavioral

The art training program has been designed as a drawing program and focuses on basic visual art concepts (the elements [e.g., colour and line] and principles [e.g., proportion and balance] of design). Each week has a different activity and a different focus (one activity per week focusing on one element and principle of design). Each art training program will occur one hour per day, two days per week, for eight weeks. The art training program will take place at the participants' respective dementia care location in an area separate from waitlist control participants and uninvolved clients. All art programs are free for participants.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in cognition

    Time frame: baseline up to three weeks prior, and final assessment one to two weeks post-intervention

    Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA; Nasreddine, 2005)

  2. Change in visual working memory

    Time frame: baseline up to three weeks prior, and final assessment one to two weeks post-intervention

    Body Part Pointing Test (Stopford et al., 2010)

  3. Change in auditory working memory

    Time frame: baseline up to three weeks prior, and final assessment one to two weeks post-intervention

    Digit Span (Weschler, 2008)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

York University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2018
First posted
Jun 5, 2017
Registry last updated
Jul 24, 2018

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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