NCT02521558

Effectiveness of Home-based Electronic Cognitive Therapy in Alzheimer's Disease

• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (actual)
• Sponsor: Boston University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 50 Years – 90 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The current study will examine the use of a mobile electronic application used to deliver cognitive rehabilitation to patients with mild cognitive impairment due (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD), and patients with mild AD. Patients will be given a specific cognitive rehabilitation program on their mobile device (iPad) with specific tasks for them to complete. The goal of this study is to determine if a) patients are able to use and adhere to a cognitive rehabilitation program delivered to their mobile device and b) to determine if patients can improve their language, attention, and memory by completing cognitive rehabilitation tasks assigned to them.

Detailed description

In the current study, the investigators are examining the use of a mobile electronic application used to deliver cognitive rehabilitation tasks to patients with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease, and patients with mild Alzheimer's disease. An estimated 100 patients will be enrolled into the study (\~50 patients with mild cognitive impairment, \~50 patients with Alzheimer's disease). Participants will either receive memory tasks designed to help stabilize or improve memory (Intervention Group) or a set of word or math puzzles (Control Group). Participants will complete memory tasks or puzzles for a six month period. The investigators will conduct pre- and post- neuropsychological testing to assess changes in cognitive status (e.g., memory, language, executive functioning) in the intervention group. Neuropsychological tests assessing changes to cognition will be completed prior to participant assignment to the Intervention or Control Group. Both groups will then be assessed again using neuropsychological tests. The investigators will also assess changes in performance on cognitive rehabilitation tests over the six month period to determine the efficacy of these tasks.

Conditions

• Memory Disorders
• Mild Cognitive Impairment
• Alzheimer's Disease

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Intervention Group	The investigators are interested in how practicing memory tasks can improve memory in patients with MCI and with AD. Specifically, patients will perform a set of cognitive rehabilitation tasks designed to train memory in order to determine if these tasks are effective in improving memory or slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Patients will practice memory tasks for about an hour daily, for a total duration of 6 months. A research assistant or clinician will conduct weekly check-ins with each participant assess whether or not participants in the Intervention Group exhibit weekly improvements and to determine if patients are regularly adhering to the tasks.
BEHAVIORAL	Control Group	The Control Group will not receive any cognitive rehabilitation tasks for a six month period. Instead, they will simply be given booklets of puzzles (e.g., word search, number puzzles, etc.) to work on for the duration of 6 months. A research assistant or clinician will conduct weekly check-ins with each participant assess whether or not participants in the control group feel like they are benefiting from the puzzles. Participants in the Control Group will be given a standard battery of neuropsychological tests prior to the the puzzles and after the puzzles to assess any changes in memory, language, attention, and executive functioning.

Timeline

• Start date: 2015-09-01
• Primary completion: 2020-06-30
• Completion: 2020-06-30
• First posted: 2015-08-13
• Last updated: 2021-02-04

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States