Effects of a Computerized Cognitive Stimulation Intervention Adapted to the Level of Cognitive Reserve

Analysis of the Effectiveness of a Computerized Cognitive Stimulation Program Designed From Occupational Therapy According to the Level of Cognitive Reserve in Older Adults in Primary Care: Stratified Randomized Clinical Trial Protocol

Normal ageing presents subtle cognitive changes that can be detected before meeting the criteria for Mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Older people with low cognitive reserve and who receive limited cognitive stimulation are at greater risk of deterioration. In this regard, cognitive stimulation (CS) has been identified as an intervention that reduces this risk, provided that its design considers the differences in the level of cognitive reserve (CR) acquired throughout life and the baseline level of cognitive functioning. The general objective of this study is to evaluate, through a randomized clinical trial, the effectiveness of a computerized cognitive stimulation program, designed and adapted from Occupational Therapy based on the level of cognitive reserve in older adults in Primary Care. 100 participants will be randomized in a stratified manner according to the level of cognitive reserve (high/low), assigning 50 participants to the control group and 50 participants to the intervention group. The intervention group will carry out a computerized cognitive stimulation intervention designed and adapted from occupational therapy according to the level of cognitive reserve, through the "stimulus" platform. The main result expected to be achieved is the improvement of higher brain functions. As secondary results, the investigators expect that those cognitive aspects most vulnerable to ageing will decrease more slowly (in areas such as memory, executive function, attention and processing speed) and that the cognitive reserve of the participants will increase, in addition to being able to balance gender differences in these aspects. The investigators think that these results can positively impact the creation of adapted, meaningful and stimulating CS programs in older adults to prevent MCI and experience healthier ageing.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Cognitive Dysfunction; Mild Cognitive Impairment
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Computerized cognitive stimulation program; Behavioral: Face-to-face training-explanatory session

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 100
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age: ≥ 60 years.
• With score in Lobo's Mini-cognitive Examination (MEC-35) (Lobo, A., Escolar, V., Ezquerra, J., & Seva Díaz, 1979) between: 28-35 points (Friedman et al., 2012; Vinyoles Bargalló et al., 2002).
• Non-institutionalized persons, belonging to the health centers where the study was conducted.
• With a minimum educational level (knowing how to read and write).
• Who do not present hearing, visual or communication difficulties that would prevent them from completing the cognitive training.

Exclusion Criteria:

• People with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease (AD).
• People with significant functional impairment.
• People who have received any type of professionalized cognitive stimulation therapy in the last year.
• People with significant psychiatric conditions, such as major depressive disorder or schizophrenia.
• People who are taking medications that may adversely affect cognitive function, such as anticholinergics, tranquilizers and anticonvulsants.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Control Group	Behavioral: Face-to-face training-explanatory session; The CG will undergo a group and face-to-face training-explanatory session, where the importance of maintaining the usual level of cognitive activity will be emphasized.
Experimental: Cognitive Stimulation program	Behavioral: Computerized cognitive stimulation program; The cognitive stimulation (CS) program, for the IG, will be previously designed by 2 Occupational Therapy (OT) of the team, and adapted to the computerized format through a platform specialized in cognitive neurorehabilitation. The activities will be designed under OT models: human occupation model and cognitive-perceptual model, so that the different professions, interests and roles are represented, and allow to express different levels of complexity, according to the level of Cognitive Reserve (CR).; The cognitive aspects to be worked on are: memory, orientation, language, praxis, gnosis, calculation, perception, logical reasoning, attention-concentration and executive functions.; In addition, reinforcement, EF, episodic memory, attention and information processing speed activities will be designed, also according to the CR level.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
MEC-35 (Spanish version of Folstein's Mini-Mental)	The primary outcome variable is MEC-35 (Spanish version of Folstein's Mini-Mental): the most widely used cognitive test in Primary Care, adapted by Lobo to the Spanish population (Lobo, A., et al 1979). It evaluates 8 components: temporal orientation, spatial orientation, fixation memory, attention, calculation, short-term memory, language and praxis. Its sensitivity is 85-90% and its specificity 69% (Lobo, A. et al 1999). Although its cut-off point for detecting cognitive impairment is 24, in NC, scores between 28-35 points are considered (Friedman et al., 2012; Vinyoles Bargalló et al., 2002).	An initial evaluation (pre), post-intervention (in a period of 2 to 7 days after the last intervention session) and two follow-up evaluations (at 6 and 12 months) will be carried out.
Cognitive Reserve Questionnaire (CRQ)	To determine the level of cognitive reserve (Landenberger et al., 2019) the most suitable questionnaire is the Cognitive Reserve Questionnaire (CRQ) (Rami et al., 2011). It has eight items with between three and six response options. Each item relieves a CR factor: schooling, parental schooling, courses, occupation, musical training, languages, reading and intellectual games. The maximum score is 25 points. Between 7 and 9 points is considered a medium-low range of CR. Between 10-14 points medium-high range, and ≥15 points, high CR. It is an instrument with high reliability and acceptable convergent validity (Martino et al., 2021).	An initial evaluation (pre), post-intervention (in a period of 2 to 7 days after the last intervention session) and two follow-up evaluations (at 6 and 12 months) will be carried out.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Set-Test	-Set-Test (Pascual, L., Martinez, J., Modrego, P., Mostacero, E., Lopez del Val, J., & Morales, 1990): measures verbal fluency of categorical type: colors, animals, fruits and cities, asking the patient to say elements of the 4 categories in one minute. It presents a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 67%.	An initial evaluation (pre), post-intervention (in a period of 2 to 7 days after the last intervention session) and two follow-up evaluations (at 6 and 12 months) will be carried out.
The SDMT or Symbols and Digits Test	The SDMT or Symbols and Digits Test measures EF, processing speed and attention. It is a test with good accuracy, sensitivity and specificity, useful for predicting future MCI. The SDMT card consists of a header with a key that relates the numbers from 1 to 9 with different symbols; the participant has 90 seconds to match a specific number with a particular geometric figure. The response can be written or verbal, and the maximum total response time is five minutes. The ideal cut-off point is 44 points, although 38 points can be used for a more specific result (Baudouin et al., 2009).	An initial evaluation (pre), post-intervention (in a period of 2 to 7 days after the last intervention session) and two follow-up evaluations (at 6 and 12 months) will be carried out.
Color Word Stroop Test (CWST)	Color Word Stroop Test (CWST) (Cheng et al., 2012) assesses perseveration, cognitive flexibility, EF and attention (Uttl & Graf, 1997). It consists of naming a color with and without the presence of conflicting or incongruent stimuli. The test consists of three sheets: in the first one, colors written in black ink are repeated, in the second one colors with their geometric figure, and in the third one colors written in different ink. The correct answers in the three sheets are collected. This test shows a decrease by age and gender (the most impaired EF in men) (Periáñez et al., 2021; Van der Elst et al., 2008). The limits considered normal are 35-65 points (Graf et al., 1995).	An initial evaluation (pre), post-intervention (in a period of 2 to 7 days after the last intervention session) and two follow-up evaluations (at 6 and 12 months) will be carried out.
Verbal Learning Test (TAVEC)	Verbal Learning Test (TAVEC) Spanish version of the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). It evaluates learning and episodic memory capacity. The test consists of memorizing a list of 16 words (list A), belonging to four semantic categories, and their subsequent recall. Five trials are repeated and a second list of 16 words (list B) is administered. Subsequently, recall of list A and recall by semantic categories is requested. After about 20 minutes, free recall of word list A and recall by semantic categories is requested again. Both Spearman's coefficient and Cronbach's α indicate high reliability (Nieto Barco et al., 2014).	An initial evaluation (pre), post-intervention (in a period of 2 to 7 days after the last intervention session) and two follow-up evaluations (at 6 and 12 months) will be carried out.
Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire in Short Form (MDPQ-16)	Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire in Short Form (MDPQ-16). Tests experience and aptitude for using mobile devices in eight domains: mobile device basics, communication, data and file storage, Internet, calendar, entertainment, privacy, troubleshooting, and software management. Each of the domains is scored on a 5-point scale (e.g., 1 = never tried , 2 = not at all , 3 = not very easily , 4 = somewhat easily , 5 = very easily). The total score ranges from 8 to 40, with higher scores reflecting greater competence. Internal consistency is excellent (Cronbach's α=.96).(Roque & Boot, 2018).	An initial evaluation (pre), post-intervention (in a period of 2 to 7 days after the last intervention session) and two follow-up evaluations (at 6 and 12 months) will be carried out.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universidad de Zaragoza

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): April 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 15, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 14, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 26, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): February 28, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 28, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 26, 2024
• Last Verified: February 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurocognitive Disorders; Cognition Disorders; Cognitive Dysfunction
• Other Study ID Numbers: C.I. PI23/637

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: The primary objective of this plan is to disseminate individual participant data (IPD) from our research study to a wide audience of researchers and stakeholders. By publishing in open-access journals and presenting at conferences, the investigators aim to maximize the visibility and accessibility of our data, fostering collaboration and advancing scientific knowledge in our field.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

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