PotenziaMente: A Digital Executive Function Training Intervention for Healthy Aging in the Elderly Population

July 8, 2026 updated by: Costanza Papagno, Università degli Studi di Trento

The study, entitled "PotenziaMente: Cognitive Training in Aging," is a clinical trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an individualized tablet-based cognitive training program targeting executive functions (e.g., planning, cognitive flexibility, and problem solving) in healthy older adults. Executive functions are higher-order cognitive processes that support adaptive functioning in daily life and influence other cognitive domains, such as memory. The primary aim of the study is to enhance cognitive performance, specifically executive functioning, in neurologically healthy adults aged 65 to 75 years. A secondary aim is to compare the effects of two different delivery modalities of the same cognitive training program: home-based self-administration via tablet versus supervised tablet-based training in the presence of a trained researcher. Participants will undergo cognitive assessments at baseline (pre-training), immediately after the intervention (post-training), and at a 3-month follow-up.

This is a randomized parallel-group interventional clinical trial without masking. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups: a home-based cognitive training condition, in which they perform an individualized tablet-based cognitive training program targeting executive functions independently at home via a tablet application without direct supervision, or a supervised cognitive training condition, in which they perform the same individualized tablet-based cognitive training under the supervision of a trained researcher in a controlled environment. The intervention consists of two sessions per week, 1 hour per session, for 4 consecutive weeks, delivered via tablet-based exercises. The study uses a parallel assignment model with a prospective design and a primary purpose of treatment (cognitive enhancement and prevention of cognitive decline).

The primary outcome is the change in executive functioning from baseline to post-intervention, assessed using standardized neuropsychological tests. Secondary outcomes include between-group differences (home-based vs. supervised) in executive functioning, changes in global cognitive functioning from baseline to post-intervention, and maintenance of cognitive effects at the 3-month follow-up.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

60

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 Contact

Study Locations

  • Italy
    • Trento
      • Rovereto, Trento, Italy, 38068
        • Recruiting
        • Centro Interdipartimentale Mente/Cervello - CIMeC
        • 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

  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Cognitively healthy adults aged 65 to 75 years. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) equivalent score ≥ 1, according to Italian normative values.

Exclusion Criteria:

History of current or previous neurological or neuropsychiatric disorders.

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: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Remote Cognitive Training
A group of participants randomly assigned to a remote tablet-based cognitive training intervention through individualized training sessions aimed at improving cognitive performance.
Behavioral: Remote Cognitive Training
A 4-week tablet-based cognitive training intervention targeting executive functions in healthy older adults. Participants complete 2 individualized training sessions per week (1 hour each), delivered remotely via email and performed independently at home using a tablet. The intervention focuses on enhancing executive functioning, including planning, cognitive flexibility, and problem solving, with the aim of improving overall cognitive performance in daily life.
Active Comparator: Supervised In-Person Cognitive Training
A group of participants randomly assigned to an in-person supervised tablet-based cognitive training intervention consisting of individualized training sessions aimed at improving cognitive performance.
Behavioral: Supervised In-Person Cognitive Training
A 4-week tablet-based cognitive training intervention targeting executive functions in healthy older adults. Participants complete 2 individual training sessions per week (1 hour each), delivered in person under the supervision of a trained researcher in a controlled environment. The intervention focuses on enhancing executive functioning, including planning, cognitive flexibility, and problem solving, with the aim of improving overall cognitive performance in daily life.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The Tower of London Test (Bruni et al. 2020)
Time Frame: 0-4 months
Accuracy and timing
0-4 months
Frontal Assessment Battery (Apollonio et al., 2005)
Time Frame: 0-4 months
Minimum value: 0; Maximum value: 18; Higher scores indicate better executive functioning.
0-4 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Università degli Studi di Trento

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 17, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

September 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 5, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 5, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

June 10, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 10, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 8, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Protocollo 2024-053

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

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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