Neurocognitive Study for the Aging-a Longitudinal Study With a Greek Cypriot Cohort (NEUROAGE)

The Neurocognitive Study for the Aging

The Neurocognitive Study for the Aging (NEUROAGE) was initially funded by the Cyprus Innovation Foundation and has received subsequent funding by the European Union Regional Development Fund. The project focuses on the understanding of the effects of age on neurocognitive abilities such as attention, memory, language, categorization, and executive functioning. In addition, specific arms of the project investigate the effects of a theory-driven hierarchical training program, the Categorization Program, to improve cognitive abilities in adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and of a group intervention program focusing on cognitive and psychosocial abilities. Over 1000 adults ages 40 and older have been recruited in the NEUROAGE project thus far. The grant was awarded to the University of Cyprus, with Professor Fofi Constantinidou as the PI.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Aging; Cognitive Decline; Memory Impairment; Mild Cognitive Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Categorization training; Behavioral: Psychosocial and Psychoeducational Group training

Detailed Description

Given the fact that older adults are expected to live longer while maintaining their social and professional activities, the development of effective cognitive retraining methodologies designed to maximize independence has been of interest. In addition to changes caused by the normal aging process, older adults over 65 are at a high risk for developing dementia. About 8-12% of the older adult population will demonstrate a pre-dementia syndrome referred to as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) which is considered a prodrome to dementia. Consequently, it is important to identify variables that contribute to the development of MCI as well as neurocognitive therapy approaches to help patients improve their level of functioning.

Categorization is one of the most fundamental cognitive processes. The ability to divide the world into discrete categories is a rudimentary process beginning early in life and continues to be developed and refined across the lifespan. This underlying process is crucial to a variety of neurocognitive abilities including attention and memory and can influence vocational and educational reintegration. Normal aging results in categorization deficits which in turn can interfere with the individual's ability to attend, remember, and organize information. This difficulty could hamper activities of daily living, social participation, and independence. This project implements an innovative treatment program based on current theoretical models of human cognition designed to improve neurocognitive abilities.

One of the objectives of the project is to provide evidence on the effectiveness of a systematic and hierarchical neurocognitive therapy method, the Categorization Program (CP) in adults with MCI and in normal older adults. It is hypothesized that the CP will be an effective treatment approach to improve categorization abilities in both groups of subjects. In addition, since 2020, we have been implementing a group intervention program as part of our recent funding to investigate its feasibility in healthy older adults and in adults with MCI.

The following activities have been taking place:

1. Initially, a population-based sample of 500 older adults was tested using a battery of neuropsychological measures. Normal older adults are reassessed every two years. Currently, more than 800 healthy adults have been recruited in this project.
2. Second, normal OA and adults with MCI have been randomly assigned into either the treated or untreated groups. The treated groups receive the CP training in order to test its effectiveness.
3. Third, the long term effects of cognitive retraining is being assessed.
4. Finally, the project examines the relationship between the categorization tasks, neuropsychological performance, functional outcome measures, and subject characteristics including health indices, education, and biomarkers. Theoretical constructs such as Cognitive Reserve have been explored as part of this project.

The long-term objective of this research program is to determine variables that influence cognitive decline in older adults and develop effective neurocognitive therapy techniques.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 1000

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Fofi Constantinidou, Ph.D.; Phone Number: 35722892078; Email: fofic@ucy.ac.cy

Study Locations

• Cyprus
  • Nicosia, Cyprus, 1678
    • Recruiting
    • University of Cyprus
    • Contact: Fofi Constantinidou, Ph.D.; Phone Number: 35722894437; Email: fofic@ucy.ac.cy
    • Principal Investigator: Fofi Constantinidou, Ph.D.

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 60 years to 90 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Normal older adults and adults with cognitive decline are recruited in this study

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy with no prior neurological history

Exclusion Criteria:

• prior neurological history or significant psychiatric history

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Intervention / Treatment

Normal Aging/Cognitive Decline; Health adults as well as adults with MCI and early stage AD are being recruited in the study

Behavioral: Categorization training; Behavioral intervention consisting of cognitive training exercises to improve categorization performance; Behavioral: Psychosocial and Psychoeducational Group training; Group treatment with a focus on psychosocial and psychoeducational intervention in healthy adults and in adults with cognitive decline. Ten week cycle, 2 hours per week group intervention study.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Neuropsychological Tests	a variety of cognitive tests as well as psychosocial measures are used in this project	on going

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Cyprus
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Fofi Constantinidou, Ph.D., University of Cyprus

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Center for Applied Neuroscience

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: July 1, 2009
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 25, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 28, 2011
• First Posted (Estimated): November 29, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 22, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 21, 2023
• Last Verified: August 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: cognition; MCI; aging; cognitive decline; neurorehabilitation
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurocognitive Disorders; Cognitive Dysfunction; Cognition Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: Humanities/Society/0308(ΒΕ)/07 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation); SKEPSH (Other Grant/Funding Number: European Regional Development Fund); EXCELLENCE/1216/0404 (Other Grant/Funding Number: Cyprus Research Innovation Foundation)

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No