Perceptual-vision Training and Intellectual Disabilities

April 30, 2026 updated by: Luca Cavaggioni, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria

Perceptual-vision Training as a Strategy for Healthy Ageing in Adults With Intellectual Disability

Physical activity for healthy ageing is an important feature and the possibility to detect practical solutions to solve the need for feasible health promotion interventions to reduce health disparities and wellbeing in individuals with intellectual disability (ID) is an open question. In this perspective, vision has a remarkable role in spatial cognition and organization, especially in individuals with ID. Therefore, the aim is to investigate the effectiveness of a perceptual-vision training program on cognitive performance (inhibitory control) and physical fitness (balance, agility and muscular strength) in adults with ID throughout 16 weeks. Participants with mild ID will be randomly divided into a perceptual-vision training group, a perceptual-vision training-detraining group and a control group. Cognitive performance and physical fitness will be assessed at baseline, mid and at the end of 16 weeks. In conclusion, a visual training program may present the potentiality to impact various health domains, from cognition to physical performance in individuals with intellectual disabilities, promoting their healthy aging.

Study Overview

Status

Withdrawn

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Despite the importance of physical activity for healthy ageing and the need for feasible health promotion interventions to reduce health disparities and improve aging wellbeing in individuals with intellectual disability (ID), there is a lack of empirically supported strategies for health promotion and disease prevention in adults with ID. Notably, vision and eye tracking play a key role in spatial cognition and orientation triggering several brain areas and people with ID may present anomalous visual movements, spatial organization or cognitive performance. The aim of the present project is to investigate a potential strategy for promoting healthy ageing targeting both physical and cognitive domains in individuals with ID. Specifically, this project will study the effect of a perceptual-vision training program on cognitive performance (inhibitory control) and physical fitness (balance, agility and muscular strength) in adults with ID. The second aim is to test the association between cognitive and physical performance variables. Participants with mild ID will be randomly allocated to a perceptual-vision training group (n = 28), a perceptual-vision training-detraining group (n = 28) and a control group (n = 28).

During the overall 16 weeks, the perceptual-vision training group will follow an intervention protocol based on vision and oculomotor exercises combined with balance motor actions for the entire period, the perceptual-vision training-detraining group will follow the same oculomotor training program for 8 weeks and a period of detraining for the last consecutive 8 weeks. Lastly, the control group will continue to perform habitual active lifestyle for 16 weeks. Cognitive performance and physical fitness will be assessed at baseline, mid (end of 8 week), and post intervention period (end of 16 week). Overall, a perceptual-vision training program may have the potential to positively impact various aspects of life quality in individuals with ID promoting autonomy, health, social integration, and overall wellbeing. This may be a promising strategy to ameliorate healthy ageing of people with ID across various domains.

Study Type

Interventional

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.

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:

  • age between 40 and 70 years
  • mild ID (Intellectual Quotient = 51-69).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • inability to understand basic verbal communication
  • strict dependence on personnel or assistive support devices
  • presence of concomitant sensorial or physical impairments
  • presence of behavioural problems or any other clinical condition that may compromise the regular physical activity practice

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: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Visual Training Group
Visual Training Group: physical training exercises aiming to combine visual skills with basic motor actions for 16 consecutive weeks
Other: Visual Training
16-week training protocol focused on visual training designed for ameliorating cognitive performance and physical fitness
Active Comparator: Control Group
Control Group: active lifestyle based on healthy habits for 16 consecutive weeks
Other: Control Group
16-week of active lifestyle based on healthy habits
Experimental: Visual Training-detraining Group
Visual Training-detraining Group: physical exercises physical training exercises aiming to combine visual skills with basic motor actions for 8 consecutive weeks. The last remaining 8 weeks (up to 16 week) the group will conduct a period of detraining in which no physical exercises will be administered
Other: Visual Training-detraining
8-week training protocol focused on visual training designed for ameliorating cognitive performance and physical fitness, followed by 8 week with no specific training protocol

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from baseline cognitive performance at 16 week
Time Frame: Up to sixteen weeks
Response time on a computerized test conceptualized as a measure of cognitive performance inhibitory control (Modified Flanker Task test). Participants are tasked with identifying the direction of the central target stimulus that is flanked by either congruent (<<<<<) or incongruent (>><>>) stimuli by pressing the correct keyboard key.
Up to sixteen weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from baseline static balance at 16 week
Time Frame: Up to sixteen weeks
Postural control detected in standing position with eyes closed using the Balance Error Scoring System protocol in arbitrary units using a 0-30 point scale in which lower scores mean a better outcome result
Up to sixteen weeks
Change from baseline strength at 16 week
Time Frame: Up to sixteen weeks
Maximal isometric grip in kilograms using the handgrip dynamometer
Up to sixteen weeks
Change from baseline strength at 16 week
Time Frame: Up to sixteen weeks
Amount of time in seconds during a chair rise for five consecutive times adopting the Five Repetition sit to stand test
Up to sixteen weeks
Change from baseline movement agility at 16 week
Time Frame: Up to sixteen weeks
Amount of time in seconds using the Time Up and Go test. The test begins with the participant that should stand up from a chair, he has to walk forward for three meters, then to come back and to sit down on a chair. During the entire procedure the participant should count backward by three starting from a casual number
Up to sixteen weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Università degli Studi dell'Insubria

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Luca Cavaggioni, PhD, Universitià degli Studi dell'Insubria

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 (Estimated)

May 5, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

October 28, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 3, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 3, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

October 8, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 6, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 30, 2026

Last Verified

October 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 0119168

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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