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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03333837

Improvisational Movement for People With Memory Loss and Their Caregivers

Dementia is a progressive decline in cognition that impairs a person's ability to perform activities of daily living. Changes in mood, gait, and balance are prominent secondary symptoms of Alzheimer's dementia that can dramatically decrease quality of life for the person with dementia and increase caregiver burden. The overall aim of this study is to determine the independent and combined effects of dance movement and social engagement on quality of life in people with early-stage dementia, and test the neural mechanisms of these effects.

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Key information

About this study

Dementia is a progressive decline in cognition that impairs a person's ability to perform activities of daily living. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, the most common neurodegenerative disease in older adults, and the 6th leading cause of death in the US. Neuropsychiatric symptoms (apathy, depression, anxiety) and altered gait and balance are prominent secondary symptoms of Alzheimer's disease that increase medical costs and decrease quality of life for both the person with dementia and their caregiver.

In a report from the Secretariat (Executive Board, 134th Session, December 20th, 2013), the World Health Organization identified a need to integrate evidence-based palliative care services into the continuum of care for serious chronic diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. However, two recent NIH workshops identified major gaps in the evidence supporting the wider use of non-pharmacologic activities to ameliorate secondary symptoms of chronic disease. Arts-based activities were identified as particularly understudied for symptom management, given growing evidence that various arts-based activities can improve quality of life, relieve symptoms, and reduce reliance on medications. It is important that these benefits can be achieved without adding medications. Dance is an arts-based activity that can improve quality of life, decrease symptoms of depression, and improve balance in healthy older adults, those with Parkinson disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Thus, dance is a non-pharmacological intervention that simultaneously addresses two sets of prominent secondary symptoms in Alzheimer's disease: 1) gait and balance and 2) neuropsychiatric symptoms. However, the mechanisms through which dance exerts these effects are unknown.

Pilot data from the investigators' laboratory suggest that participating in a group improvisational movement class twice weekly improved balance and connectivity in motor-related brain regions, as well as improving mood and connectivity in brain regions associated with social engagement. Improvisation is the ability to create new gestures and movements spontaneously. Improvisation can be a part of many different art forms. However, improvisational movement can also be practiced as a specific dance form. The objective in improvisational movement is that choreographed movement is replaced by a cue or prompt that allows the possibility for multiple responses. This unique form of dance is especially well-suited for people with dementia because it: 1) does not rely heavily on memory of repeated movements; 2) can be seamlessly adapted to include sitting, standing, or moving around the room; 3) is cognitively challenging; and 4) fosters a social, playful atmosphere. Participants seemed to benefit from both the social nature of the class and the movement. Therefore, the overall aim of this proposal is to experimentally determine the independent and combined effects of dance movement and social engagement on quality of life in people with early stage dementia, and test the neural mechanisms of these effects.

To accomplish this goal, the investigators will use a 2x2 factorial design and randomize 120 community-dwelling older adults adjudicated as having early-stage dementia of the presumed Alzheimer's type to one of four 3-month interventions: 1) Dance Group, 2) Non-group Dance, 3) Social Group, or 4) No Contact Control.

It is not hypothesized that dance affects the underlying disease course, and therefore no improvement is expected in cognition.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

Age 60-85 years

Adjudicated as having mild cognitive impairment or early-stage dementia of Alzheimer's, vascular, or mixed Alzheimer's/vascular type

MRI compatible

English speaking

Have study partner who is around the person with dementia approximately 10 hours/week and is willing to be an active study partner.

Able to attend bi-weekly intervention classes or come to study visits for no-contact control.

Not enrolled in another interventional study for at least 3 months prior to beginning this study.

Exclusion criteria

Untreated depression

Other causes of dementia (for example, frontotemporal, early onset, Lewy body or Parkinsonian dementia)

Current cancer treatment or other major medical problems that might independently affect cognition or movement

Other neurological disorders (e.g., Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis)

Taking medication that could negatively influence safety during intervention

Planned extensive travel during the study period

Any reason for which the study doctor or personal physician feels the intervention is contraindicated for the participant

Treatment and study plan

dance group

Behavioral

Active imagination refers to working with imagery and is crucial in improvisatory practice. Verbal auditory cues are used to create movement scenarios that cue or activate the motor imagination. Variability means the improvisational method does not aim to learn a specific movement pattern and habituate to it. Cues are delivered quickly, one after another. Within an average of two minutes, tasks requiring quicker decision-making are introduced. Pacing is the rate at which new movement prompts are presented. Quick changes in pace avoid defaulting to habitual responses, thereby facilitating new movement options. Participants cannot rely on copying another, memory, or anticipation to address the motor problem.

Non-Group Dance

Behavioral

The caregiver will be asked to stay in the area while the subject is dancing. A video camera will be affixed in an upper corner of the room to record individual dance sessions. This recording will yield data that a trained student or staff member can view and code to document movement fidelity (e.g., that the person has responded to the dance prompts and for the purpose of comparing the amount of quality of movements that occur in individual vs. group dance settings). For the first two sessions, study staff would observe the full dance session from outside the room to be sure that instruction was clear and adherence was attained, and that no safety issues arise.

Social Group

Behavioral

The social group will consist of improvisational party games to foster curiosity and playfulness, use imagery, and encourage non-judgment. Games that may be used include 'Balderdash', 'Wise and Otherwise', 'Charades', 'Pictionary', and 'Tell Me A Story' cards. These games will also use the same core strategies as the dance group. Games will be varied within an hour-long session to incorporate pacing and variability into the social group, akin to the dance group. The social group will occur 2x/week for 1 hour each time and be led by the same instructors who lead the Dance Group, to control for effects of personality of the group leader.

No contact

Behavioral

The condition of not receiving an intervention can have ethical implications and reduce retention rates. Therefore, these participants will be invited to join in a weekly community improvisational dance class after they complete the study, for as many sessions as they would like.

Primary outcomes

  1. Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QOL-AD)--Participants With Dementia (PWD)

    Time frame: Baseline

    Self-reported quality of life in the person with dementia is the primary outcome and will be measured using the QOL-AD . The QOL-AD is validated for use in people with Mini Mental State Exam scores as low as 10.The QOL_AD contains 13 items.Points are assigned to each item as follows: poor = 1, fair = 2, good = 3, excellent = 4.The total score is the sum of all 13 item (range 13- 52) higher scores represent better outcomes.

  2. QOL-AD--PWD

    Time frame: Week 12

    Self-reported quality of life in the person with dementia is the primary outcome and will be measured using the QOL-AD . The QOL-AD is validated for use in people with Mini Mental State Exam scores as low as 10.The QOL_AD contains 13 items.Points are assigned to each item as follows: poor = 1, fair = 2, good = 3, excellent = 4.The total score is the sum of all 13 item (range 13- 52) higher scores represent better outcomes.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Community Structure--PWD

    Time frame: Baseline

    This is a brain imaging variable derived from fMRI images. Modularity (Q) ranges from 0 (no community structure) to 1 (perfectly modular network). One Q-value is generated for each person and group averages are shown.

  2. Community Structure--PWD

    Time frame: Week 12

    This is a brain imaging variable derived from fMRI images. Modularity (Q) ranges from 0 (no community structure) to 1 (perfectly modular network). One Q-value is generated for each person and group averages are shown.

  3. Global Efficiency (eGlob)--PWD

    Time frame: Baseline

    This is a brain imaging variable derived from fMRI images.Scale ranges from 0 (no long-range information processing) to 1 (maximal distributed processing). Decreased Eglob has been associated with aging, cognitive impairment, and depression.

  4. Global Efficiency (eGlob)--PWD

    Time frame: Week 12

    This is a brain imaging variable derived from fMRI images.Scale ranges from 0 (no long-range information processing) to 1 (maximal distributed processing). Decreased Eglob has been associated with aging, cognitive impairment, and depression.

  5. Local Efficiency (eLoc)--PWD

    Time frame: Baseline

    Scale ranges from 0 (no local connectivity) to 1 (maximal local connectivity - all connections are local) and has been observed to change with cognitive impairment and depression.

  6. Local Efficiency (eLoc)--PWD

    Time frame: Week 12

    Scale ranges from 0 (no local connectivity) to 1 (maximal local connectivity - all connections are local) and has been observed to change with cognitive impairment and depression.

  7. Path Length--PWD

    Time frame: Baseline

    Refers to the number of edges that must be crossed to get from one node to another. Longer path length in people with AD has been associated with slower cognitive performance, beta amyloid deposition, and depression.

  8. Path Length--PWD

    Time frame: Week 12

    Refers to the number of edges that must be crossed to get from one node to another. Longer path length in people with AD has been associated with slower cognitive performance, beta amyloid deposition, and depression.

  9. Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (Overall Balance) PWD

    Time frame: Baseline

    Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FAB) measures balance using 10 different performance-based tests (scored 0 worst - 4 best), including; standing with feet together and eyes closed, standing on a foam pad with eyes closed, walking while turning the head from side to side rhythmically, functional standing reach, turning around to the left and right, stepping up and over a 6-inch box, standing on one leg, and a test for postural reaction. The scale goes from 0-40 with 40 being the best outcome and a cutoff of <=25 for risk of falls.

  10. Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (Overall Balance) PWD

    Time frame: Week 12

    Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FAB) measures balance using 10 different performance-based tests (scored 0 worst - 4 best), including; standing with feet together and eyes closed, standing on a foam pad with eyes closed, walking while turning the head from side to side rhythmically, functional standing reach, turning around to the left and right, stepping up and over a 6-inch box, standing on one leg, and a test for postural reaction. The scale goes from 0-40 with 40 being the best outcome and a cutoff of <=25 for risk of falls.

  11. Falls Efficacy Scale - International (FES) PWD

    Time frame: Baseline

    A 16-item scale to assess fear of falling where higher scores reflect a higher fear and risk of falling. Out of a total score of 100, a score of 70 or above indicates the individual has a fear of falling.

  12. Falls Efficacy Scale - International (FES) PWD

    Time frame: Week 12

    A 16-item scale to assess fear of falling where higher scores reflect a higher fear and risk of falling. Out of a total score of 100, a score of 70 or above indicates the individual has a fear of falling.

  13. Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (NPI-Q)

    Time frame: Baseline

    The NPI is a reliable and valid structured interview designed to assess neuropsychiatric symptoms in person with dementia through a structured interview with the caregiver. The NPI includes questions about 12 domains of symptoms: delusions, hallucinations, agitation/aggression, depression, anxiety, elation/ euphoria, apathy, disinhibition, irritability, aberrant motor activity, sleep, and eating. For each, symptom severity is scored on a scale of 0-4, with 4 being the worst outcome and caregiver distress is scored on a scale from 0-5, with 5 being the worst outcome. The sum of all 12 domains is calculated. Severity scores are reported here with a range from 0-36 with a higher score reflecting greater symptom severity.

  14. NPI-Q

    Time frame: Week 12

    The NPI is a reliable and valid structured interview designed to assess neuropsychiatric symptoms in person with dementia through a structured interview with the caregiver. The NPI includes questions about 12 domains of symptoms: delusions, hallucinations, agitation/aggression, depression, anxiety, elation/ euphoria, apathy, disinhibition, irritability, aberrant motor activity, sleep, and eating. For each, symptom severity is scored on a scale of 0-4, with 4 being the worst outcome and caregiver distress is scored on a scale from 0-5, with 5 being the worst outcome. The sum of all 12 domains is calculated. Severity scores are reported here with a range from 0-36 with a higher score reflecting greater symptom severity.

  15. Geriatric Depression Scale

    Time frame: Baseline

    The person with dementia will be asked to complete a screening tool for assessing depression. This test has 15 yes/no questions with a yes receiving 1 point for a depressive answer. A total score is calculated and will be on a scale from 0-15 with 0-4 indicating no depression, 5-10 suggestive of a mild depression, and 11+ suggestive of severe depression.

  16. Geriatric Depression Scale

    Time frame: Week 12

    The person with dementia will be asked to complete a screening tool for assessing depression. This test has 15 yes/no questions with a yes receiving 1 point for a depressive answer. A total score is calculated and will be on a scale from 0-15 with 0-4 indicating no depression, 5-10 suggestive of a mild depression, and 11+ suggestive of severe depression.

  17. Geriatric Anxiety Scale

    Time frame: Baseline

    The Geriatric Anxiety Scale measures symptoms of anxiety in older adults. A single total score ranges from 0 (low anxiety) to 63 (high anxiety). Four cutoff scores have been provided by authors in the manuals: 0-7 (normal anxiety), 8-15 (mild-moderate anxiety), 16-25 (moderate-severe anxiety), and 26-63 (severe anxiety).

  18. Geriatric Anxiety Scale

    Time frame: Week 12

    The Geriatric Anxiety Scale measures symptoms of anxiety in older adults. A single total score ranges from 0 (low anxiety) to 63 (high anxiety). Four cutoff scores have been provided by authors in the manuals: 0-7 (normal anxiety), 8-15 (mild-moderate anxiety), 16-25 (moderate-severe anxiety), and 26-63 (severe anxiety).

  19. Apathy Evaluation Scale--PWD

    Time frame: Baseline

    The Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES) addresses characteristics of goal directed behavior that reflect apathy including behavioral, cognitive, and emotional indicators. A short form will be used that has been modified for use with people with dementia. This shortened version has 10 questions scored 1-4 with 4 being the positive outcome answer. The total score is calculated and on a scale of 10-40 with lower scores reflecting less apathy and thus a better outcome.

  20. Apathy Evaluation Scale--PWD

    Time frame: Week 12

    The Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES) addresses characteristics of goal directed behavior that reflect apathy including behavioral, cognitive, and emotional indicators. A short form will be used that has been modified for use with people with dementia. This shortened version has 10 questions scored 1-4 with 4 being the positive outcome answer. The total score is calculated and on a scale of 10-40 with lower scores reflecting less apathy and thus a better outcome.

  21. Expanded Short Physical Performance Battery (eSPPB)

    Time frame: Baseline

    The eSPPB is a brief test of global mobility function with excellent test-retest and inter-examiner reliability; is sensitive to change; is safe, and is a robust predictor of future physical disability and death. To avoid ceiling effects, investigators will use an expanded version (eSPPB) that increases the difficulty of the standing balance task by asking participants to hold postures for 30 instead of 10 seconds, adds a one-leg stand, and adds a narrow walk. The resulting score is normally distributed, continuous, and shows greater sensitivity to change. Dementia patients have lower scores on the SPPB so a favorable outcome for this outcome measure would be a significantly higher score post treatment. The eSPPB is scored as a continuous measure with a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 3.0 where 3 is the best possible outcome.

  22. Expanded Short Physical Performance Battery (eSPPB)

    Time frame: Week 12

    The eSPPB is a brief test of global mobility function with excellent test-retest and inter-examiner reliability; is sensitive to change; is safe, and is a robust predictor of future physical disability and death. To avoid ceiling effects, investigators will use an expanded version (eSPPB) that increases the difficulty of the standing balance task by asking participants to hold postures for 30 instead of 10 seconds, adds a one-leg stand, and adds a narrow walk. The resulting score is normally distributed, continuous, and shows greater sensitivity to change. Dementia patients have lower scores on the SPPB so a favorable outcome for this outcome measure would be a significantly higher score post treatment. The eSPPB is scored as a continuous measure with a minimum score of 0 and a maximum score of 3.0 where 3 is the best possible outcome.

  23. Postural Sway--PWD

    Time frame: Baseline

    Center of pressure displacement (area of the 95% confidence ellipse) using an AccuSway forceplate. Center of pressure displacement is one way to characterize postural sway. Increased postural sway is correlated with decreased balance in older adults and increased fall risk. Center of pressure displacement was measured using the area of the 95% confidence ellipse using an AccuSway forceplate. Higher numbers indicate greater levels of postural sway.

  24. Postural Sway--PWD

    Time frame: Week 12

    Center of pressure displacement (area of the 95% confidence ellipse) using an AccuSway forceplate. Center of pressure displacement is one way to characterize postural sway. Increased postural sway is correlated with decreased balance in older adults and increased fall risk. Center of pressure displacement was measured using the area of the 95% confidence ellipse using an AccuSway forceplate. Higher numbers indicate greater levels of postural sway.

  25. Gait Speed--PWD

    Time frame: Baseline

    The time one takes to walk a specified distance on level surfaces over a short distance. 4m usual gait speed was measured as part of the eSPPB.

  26. Gait Speed--PWD

    Time frame: Week 12

    The time one takes to walk a specified distance on level surfaces over a short distance. 4m usual gait speed was measured as part of the eSPPB.

  27. Gait Variability--PWD

    Time frame: Baseline

    Stride time variability, which is calculated out of the mean and standard deviation of stride time, reflects the change in time elapsed between the first two contacts of two consecutive footfalls of the same foot over a number of gait cycles. Increased gait variability is associated with increased fall risk in older adults.

  28. Gait Variability--PWD

    Time frame: Week 12

    Stride time variability, which is calculated out of the mean and standard deviation of stride time, reflects the change in time elapsed between the first two contacts of two consecutive footfalls of the same foot over a number of gait cycles. Increased gait variability is associated with increased fall risk in older adults.

Other outcomes

  1. Body Mass Index (BMI)

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 12

    a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women--PWD only

  2. Blood Pressure

    Time frame: Baseline, Week12

    PWD only

  3. Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI)

    Time frame: Baseline

    A measure of five domains of personality (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness). A higher score on any scale indicates stronger presence of that trait. PWD only

  4. White Matter Lesion Burden

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 12

    The volume of white matter lesions is calculated using the Lesion Segmentation Toolbox. PWD only.

  5. Blood-based Stress Biomarkers (Covariate or Alternative Hypothesis)

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 12

    Social engagement may change biomarkers of stress relevant for interpreting outcomes. These stress biomarkers include cortisol and allostatic load, a composite measure of blood-based biomarkers associated with chronically elevated stress. PWD only

  6. Caregiver Quality of Life With the 36-item Short-Form Health (SF-36)--Covariate or Alternative Hypothesis

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 12

    The SF-36 consists of 36 questions assessing physical functioning, role functioning difficulties caused by physical problems, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role functioning difficulties caused by emotional problems, and mental health. High scores are representative of a great health status and better outcomes, while low scores are representative of a poor health status.

  7. Caregiver Burden With Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale--Covariate or Alternative Hypothesis

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 12

    The Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale is administered in interview form to the caregiver. It consists of 22 questions scored 0-4 with 0=Never, 1=Rarely, 2=Sometimes, 3=Quite Frequently, 4=Nearly Always. The total score range is 0-88 with 88 being the worst possible outcome. 0-20 represents little or no burden on the caregiver, 21-40 represents mild to moderate burden, 41-60 represents moderate to severe burden, and 61-88 represents severe burden.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Other

Collaborators

  • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Registry information

Official study title

IMOVE: Improvisational Movement for People With Memory Loss and Their Caregivers

Acronym: IMOVE

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2021
Study completion
2021
First posted
Nov 7, 2017
Registry last updated
Jul 27, 2022

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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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