Countervail Cognitive and Cerebral Decline in Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients Using Non-medical Interventions
Condition: Mild Cognitive Impairment
MeSH terms: Cognitive Dysfunction
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Cognitive decline represents a major threat among the deleterious effects of population
      aging. The investigators propose to conduct an RCT (randomized controlled trial) on the
      subpopulation of MCI patients, and examine whether intensive musical or psychomotor group
      interventions can improve their cognitive and sensorimotor functioning, as well as induce
      brain plasticity, compared to a passive healthy control group, matched for age, gender and
      education level. The 2 training regimens will take place twice a week over 6 months and will
      be provided by professionals in each field.
    

Detailed description: 
      Background Regular cognitive training can boost or maintain cognitive and brain functions
      known to decline with age. Most studies administered such cognitive training on a computer
      and in a lab setting. However, everyday life activities, like musical practice or physical
      exercise that are complex and variable, could be more successful at inducing transfer effects
      to different cognitive domains and maintaining motivation. "Body-mind exercises", like Tai
      Chi or psychomotor exercise, may also positively affect cognitive functioning in the elderly.
      We will investigate the influence of active music practice and psychomotor training over 6
      months in Mild Cognitive Impairment patients from university hospital memory clinics on
      cognitive and sensorimotor performance and brain plasticity.

      Methods We aim to conduct a randomized controlled (RCT) multicenter intervention study on 32
      Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) patients (60-80 years), divided over 2 experimental groups:
      1) Music practice; 2) Psychomotor treatment. Controls will consist of a passive test-retest
      group of 16 age, gender and education level matched healthy volunteers.

      The training regimens take place twice a week for 45 minutes over 6 months in small groups,
      provided by professionals, and patients should exercise daily at home. Data collection takes
      place at baseline (before the interventions), 3, and 6 months after training onset, on
      cognitive and sensorimotor capacities, subjective well-being, daily living activities, and
      via functional and structural neuroimaging. Considering the current constraints of the
      ongoing COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease of 2019) pandemic, recruitment and data collection
      takes place in 2 waves.

      Discussion We will investigate whether musical practice or psychomotor exercise in small
      groups can improve cognitive, sensorimotor and brain functioning in MCI patients, and
      therefore provoke benefits for their daily life functioning and well-being.
    

Intervention name(s): Music practice; Psychomotor therapy
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Patients will be trained to play a simple instrument (tongue-drum) in a group setting using different musical styles.; Patients will be trained in body awareness and a wide range of of movement activities.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: 2 experimental conditions (Music practice vs. Psychomotor training) and 1 passive control condition
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Mild Cognitive Impairment; Randomized Controlled Trial; Non-medical interventions; Cognitive performance; Sensorimotor performance; Experience induced brain plasticity; Music Practice; Psychomotor training; Passive Control Group; Multivariate data-driven analyses