Effects of Board Games on Balance in Association With Cognition in Community-Dwelling Elderly.

May 19, 2024 updated by: Riphah International University
As age progress incidence of fall increases. Cognitively impaired patients have poor balance and they are more prone to falls. Balance and cognitive functions are co-related in middle-aged and community-dwelling elderly. In fact age-related cognitive decline as the brain ages it has exceptional neuroplasticity. To maintain balance and prevent falls various cognitive processes are required. Board games can be used as tools for cognitive training as they have the means to restore and form motor skills, cognitive functioning, and logical and spatial thinking. Cognitive training using simple games might improve the elements of balance and gait, and prevent falls.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

In fact age-related cognitive decline, as the brain ages, it has exceptional neuroplasticity. This can be achieved by cognitive training which consists of domain-specific task completion or exercises to promote neurogenesis in that domain. Cognitive training is an approach towards enhancing neural plasticity by focusing on and training cognitive domains for balance improvement. Board games can be used as tools for cognitive training as they have the means to restore and form motor skills, cognitive functioning, and logical and spatial thinking. A board game is a generic term for a game played by placing, moving or removing pieces on a board and that utilizes a game format in which pieces are moved in particular ways on a board marked with a pattern. As a tool, board games can improve comprehension and cognitive functioning among participants.

As per a study, computer-based cognitive training by simple games such as Road Tour, Jewel Diver, and Sweep Seeker improved visuospatial memory, speed of processing and inhibition which in turn improved balance and gait, and prevented falls in community-dwelling elderly but as per the author's access, there's lack of standardization in terms of types of cognitive training program intended to improve balance in the elderly population by using simple board games. Hence, the author established the research question of whether is this technique effective in the elderly population in terms of its effects on cognition and balance to prevent falls. This study will provide insight to the clinician on whether board games-based cognitive training improves balance and prevents fall risk in the elderly population.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

64

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

  • Pakistan
      • Islamabad, Pakistan, 46000
        • ABID Hospital

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Males and Female participants aged 60 years or older.
  • Score of 26 or more on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
  • At least one self-reported fall within the last 2 years or (BBS) score less than 52 and more than 41.
  • Subjects who are willing to commit to the time commitments required by the program.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Those who will not meet the inclusion criteria.
  • Presence of any physical limitation that may limit hand movement.
  • Presence of a severe walking or balance impairment For Example; (Amputation, or Fracture at that time.)
  • Self-reported presence of vertigo
  • Any visual disease
  • Currently using psychotropic medications.
  • Presence of any neurological disorder

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Interventional Group
Participants will receive cognitive training in board games including Ludo, Chutes & Ladder and Chess with both single and multiplayer modes. After 1 week of training, participants will receive intervention of 1 hour per day, three days a week for 8 weeks completing a total of 1440 minutes. With this technique, we will target the cognitive process of information processing, speed and executive function of the patient.
Other: Board Games
Participants will receive cognitive training in board games including Ludo, Chutes & Ladder and Chess with both single and multiplayer modes. After 1 week of training, participants will receive intervention of 1 hour per day, three days a week for 8 weeks completing a total of 1440 minutes. With this technique, we will target the cognitive process of information processing, speed and executive function of the patient.
No Intervention: Control group
Participants will receive no intervention and will be observed for 8 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Berg Balance Scale (BBS)
Time Frame: Baseline
A testing tool with high validity ( 0.93) and reliability (0.98) was used to measure balance in the elderly. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a valid tool. The total score for the BBS is 56 and a higher score means good balance. It will be measured at baseline, 4th week and 8th week.
Baseline
Berg Balance Scale (BBS)
Time Frame: After 4 weeks
A testing tool with high validity ( 0.93) and reliability (0.98) was used to measure balance in the elderly. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a valid tool. The total score for the BBS is 56 and a higher score means good balance. It will be measured at baseline, 4th week and 8th week.
After 4 weeks
Berg Balance Scale (BBS)
Time Frame: After 8 weeks
A testing tool with high validity ( 0.93) and reliability (0.98) was used to measure balance in the elderly. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a valid tool. The total score for the BBS is 56 and a higher score means good balance. It will be measured at baseline, 4th week and 8th week.
After 8 weeks
Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)
Time Frame: Baseline
A set of 11 questions that doctors and other healthcare professionals commonly use to check for cognitive impairment (problems with thinking, communication, understanding and memory) with reliability of (0.98) and reliability (0.77). The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) is a valid tool. It will be measured at baseline, 4th week and 8th week. The total score for the MMSE is 30 and a higher score means good cognition.
Baseline
Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)
Time Frame: After 4 weeks
A set of 11 questions that doctors and other healthcare professionals commonly use to check for cognitive impairment (problems with thinking, communication, understanding and memory) with reliability of (0.98) and reliability (0.77). The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) is a valid tool. It will be measured at baseline, 4th week and 8th week. The total score for the MMSE is 30 and a higher score means good cognition.
After 4 weeks
Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)
Time Frame: After 8 weeks
A set of 11 questions that doctors and other healthcare professionals commonly use to check for cognitive impairment (problems with thinking, communication, understanding and memory) with reliability of (0.98) and reliability (0.77). The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) is a valid tool. It will be measured at baseline, 4th week and 8th week. The total score for the MMSE is 30 and a higher score means good cognition.
After 8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Dynamic Gait Index (DGI)
Time Frame: Baseline
A clinical tool to assess gait, balance and fall risk with reliability of (0.98). The Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) is a valid tool. It will be measured at baseline, 4th week and 8th week. The total possible score is 24. A lower score indicates greater impairment or a higher risk of falls.
Baseline
Dynamic Gait Index (DGI)
Time Frame: After 4 weeks
A clinical tool to assess gait, balance and fall risk with reliability of (0.98). The Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) is a valid tool. It will be measured at baseline, 4th week and 8th week. The total possible score is 24. A lower score indicates greater impairment or a higher risk of falls.
After 4 weeks
Dynamic Gait Index (DGI)
Time Frame: After 8 weeks
A clinical tool to assess gait, balance and fall risk with reliability of (0.98). The Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) is a valid tool. It will be measured at baseline, 4th week and 8th week. The total possible score is 24. A lower score indicates greater impairment or a higher risk of falls.
After 8 weeks
Timed Up & Go test (TUG)
Time Frame: Baseline
It is a quick and widely used clinical performance-based measure of lower extremity function, mobility and fall risk with a specificity of 0.70 sensitivity of 0.57(17) and reliability of (0.98). The Timed Up & Go test (TUG) test is a valid tool. The TUG is timed. The score is the time (in seconds) it takes the person to complete the task, starting from the command "Go" and stopping when the person is seated back in the chair. Times greater than 13.5 seconds are often associated with a higher risk of falls. It will be measured at baseline, 4th week and 8th week.
Baseline
Timed Up & Go test (TUG)
Time Frame: After 4 weeks
It is a quick and widely used clinical performance-based measure of lower extremity function, mobility and fall risk with a specificity of 0.70 sensitivity of 0.57(17) and reliability of (0.98). The Timed Up & Go test (TUG) test is a valid tool. The TUG is timed. The score is the time (in seconds) it takes the person to complete the task, starting from the command "Go" and stopping when the person is seated back in the chair. Times greater than 13.5 seconds are often associated with a higher risk of falls. It will be measured at baseline, 4th week and 8th week.
After 4 weeks
Timed Up & Go test (TUG)
Time Frame: After 8 weeks
It is a quick and widely used clinical performance-based measure of lower extremity function, mobility and fall risk with a specificity of 0.70 sensitivity of 0.57(17) and reliability of (0.98). The Timed Up & Go test (TUG) test is a valid tool. The TUG is timed. The score is the time (in seconds) it takes the person to complete the task, starting from the command "Go" and stopping when the person is seated back in the chair. Times greater than 13.5 seconds are often associated with a higher risk of falls. It will be measured at baseline, 4th week and 8th week.
After 8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Riphah International University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Imran Amjad, Phd, Riphah International University

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 (Actual)

September 22, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 31, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

January 30, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 14, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 14, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

September 21, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 21, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 19, 2024

Last Verified

May 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • REC01539 Muhammad Ammar

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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.

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