Cognitive Aging and Training With Video-games

May 27, 2015 updated by: Soledad Ballesteros, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia

Compensation Factors of Cognitive Ageing: Using Computer Technology to Reduce Cognitive Decline in Ageing

The ageing of the population will inevitably lead to a growing number of older people living alone and in need of care. Given the high cost of geriatric care, a critical research issue is exploring ways to improve or maintain cognitive and functional status in old age. Unfortunately, it has been shown that training those specific cognitive processes most sensitive to ageing (such as speed of processing or working memory), produces only limited beneficial effects. However, research also suggests that factors such as cognitive engagement, physical activity and social context may act as more general modulators of cognitive decline. This project is a longitudinal study with experimental and control groups. It is inspired from the engagement model of cognitive optimization suggesting that a lifestyle marked by social and intellectual engagement may mitigate age-related declines on cognitive functioning. It uses new cutting-edge information computing technology (ICT) solutions to improve or simply maintain cognitive functions in the elderly. This research investigates how the treatment reduces the effects of cognitive age-related decline in executive control processes and episodic (explicit) memory using behavioral and imaging measures. The results will provide significant knowledge on the potential of new ICT technologies to delay, compensate, and even prevent common chronic problems experienced by the elderly population. The hypothesis is that cognitive training with video-games through ICT solutions will promote brain and mental health and independence. Ultimately, the objective is to contribute to the understanding of factors that help avoiding the (personal and economic) consequences of long-term care in geriatric institutions.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The aim of the present project was to investigate whether older adults could benefit from brain training with video games in a series of cognitive tasks. Two groups of healthy older adults participated in the study. The experimental group received 20 1-hr video game training sessions using a commercially available brain-training package (Lumosity) involving problem solving, mental calculation, working memory and attention tasks. The control group did not practice this package and, instead, attended meetings with the other members of the study several times along the course of the study. Both groups were evaluated before and after the training (experimental group) or a similar period of time (control group) using different cognitive tasks in a 2 (Group: Experimental, control) x 2 (Time os assessment: Pre, post) mixed factorial design.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

30

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Spain
      • Madrid, Spain, 28040
        • Facultad de Psicología de la UNED

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

57 years to 85 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score 26 or greater
  • Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) score less than 5
  • Independent living
  • Normal or correct to normal vision and hearing

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of dementia
  • Planned move from study area
  • Inability to complete study activities
  • Scores lower than inclusion criteria requirements Communication problems.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Non-action video game training
20 1-hour sessions of non-action video game training
Other: Non-action video game training
Based on cognitive training Lumosity
No Intervention: Control
Participants in the control group did not receive non-action video game training

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Neuropsychological testing
Time Frame: Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks
Improvement in Neuropsychological tests after training
Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks
Oddball task
Time Frame: Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks
Improvement in attention after training
Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks
Wisconsin task
Time Frame: Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks
Improvement in executive functions
Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks
Speed of processing task
Time Frame: Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks
Improvement in processing speed after training
Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks
Spatial working memory (WM)
Time Frame: Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks
Improvement in spatial working memory
Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Efficacy of non-action video game training
Time Frame: Up to 12 weeks
Efficacy of training: Better performance in the trained video games from first training session to the last training session (from 1 to 20 sessions)
Up to 12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Soledad Ballesteros, PhD, UNED

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

January 1, 2011

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2013

Study Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 4, 2013

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 10, 2013

First Posted (Estimate)

December 11, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

May 28, 2015

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 27, 2015

Last Verified

May 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • PSI2010-21609-C02-01

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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