Application of VR-based Working Memory Screening Test (VR)

October 19, 2020 updated by: Dr Frank LAI, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Application of VR-based Working Memory Screening Test to Facilitate Early Detection of Dementia

We propose to validate an interactive, immersive spatial memory test from the laboratory test. This VR-based working memory test (VRWMT) is a first-person, self-pacing game embedded within a virtual reality environment, the program is easily implemented with minimal instructions and no supervision that can be community-users friendly. It is specifically designed to assess rapid spatial working memory - a common deficit in all NCD subtypes. Its ability to detect pathological models of dementia, age-related deterioration, and hippocampal dysfunction are well established in literature

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The proposed research aims to study the ability of VRWMT to discriminate between older adults with known mild NCD, healthy age-matched older adults and participants with non-communicable diseases and to predict their deterioration in cognitive function over a period of 12 months. Moreover, this study is to characterize and evaluate any concurrent validity between emergence of deterioration in the VRWMT and clinical tools of functional performance in older adults. Additionally, the potential of inflammatory and metabolic dysregulation biomarkers to increase our ability to detect early NCD risk over and above the predictive validity of the VRWMT. The study findings will bring both social and clinical significance to ageing and NCD research. The combination of behavioural and biomarkers of pathological significance offers an innovative approach that potentially addresses the limitations intrinsic to either measure alone.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Anticipated)

160

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

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

65 years to 80 years (Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Older adults who are community dwelling

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • the ability to understand verbal and written Chinese instructions
  • the ability and willingness to provide informed consent and sign the relevant document.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • a history of substance abuse including alcohol, drugs, or any medication/substances indicative of chronic abuse;
  • participants with major NCD.

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

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
older adults with known mild NCD
Older adults with known mild neuro-cognitive disorders
Other: no intervention
no interventioni
older adults with non-communicable diseases
older adults with non-communicable diseases such as diabetics, hypertension and chronic obstructive airway diseases
Other: no intervention
no interventioni
Older adults with healthy condition
Older adults who are free from neuro-cognitive disorders and non-communicable diseases
Other: no intervention
no interventioni

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Delayed matching-to-place (DMP)
Time Frame: 20 mins
a prototypical working memory test implemented in a virtual reality environment of the VRWMT
20 mins
The Montreal Cognitive Assessment - Hong Kong Version
Time Frame: 15 mins
The MoCA-HK is an examiner-rated cognitive screening test that evaluates visuospatial functions, naming, attention and working memory, language, abstraction, and orientation, commonly affected in NCD including Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and vascular dementia. It is a validated tool for detecting cognitive impairment in Chinese Hong Kong population at early stages. It is a common tool in practical practice that can be under 15 minutes. MoCA scores range from 0 to 30. Subjects with a score of above 21 will be classified as "healthy controls", while 21 or below will be included in the mild NCD group in the present study.
15 mins
The Chinese Multiple Errands Test
Time Frame: 20 mins
A functional performance measure of executive function that identifies abnormalities known for its ecological validity through assessment of real-world daily living activities. The proposed study will evaluate the ability of working memory (as a component to executive function) from VRWMT to predict executive functions (globally) across the six scores obtained from the Chinese Multiple Errands Test
20 mins
Biological biomarkers for older adults with NCDs and Healthy Control
Time Frame: 5 mins
The panel of biomarkers covers five immune cytokines and two metabolic markers (including serum IL-1B,Interleukin 6, Interleukin 10, Interleukin 33, Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha, Leptin and Glycosylated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)
5 mins

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Collaborators

Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behavior. The University of Leicester
School of Psychology, The University of Nottingham
The Alice Ho Miu Ning Nethersole Hospital

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

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 (Anticipated)

February 1, 2021

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

December 30, 2022

Study Completion (Anticipated)

December 31, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 19, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 19, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

October 23, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

October 23, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 19, 2020

Last Verified

October 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • VR_Clinical Trial

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

IPD Plan Description

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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.

Subscribe