Computerized Working Memory Training in Very-low-birth-weight Children at Preschool Age
Condition: Infant, Very Low Birth Weight
MeSH terms: Body Weight; Birth Weight
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The main aim of this prospective interventional study is to compare quantitative EEG findings
      and cognitive and neuropsychological test results before and after training with the Cogmed
      JM program in a group of very-low-birth-weight children in preschool age, i.e. ages 5-6
      years. The investigators hypothesize that the children in the study may respond positively to
      the computerized training and improve working memory, but probably to different degrees
      depending on the underlying neurological condition. The investigators also hypothesize that
      training may benefit additional executive functions.
    

Detailed description: 
      Children born preterm are at increased risk of neurological disabilities due to perinatal
      brain damage. During the last ten years an increasing number of especially extremely low
      birth weight (ELBW: BW ≤ 1000g) children has survived, and one might wonder whether this has
      lead to increased amount of brain pathology and impairments among survivors. Major
      impairments including cerebral palsy, mental retardation and impaired vision and hearing are
      most common in children born extremely preterm (gestational age below 28 weeks). In addition
      to this, a large part of survivors after preterm birth will experience motor problems,
      cognitive dysfunctions, psychiatric and behavioural problems of varying severity.

      In our previous research we have found significant deficits in working memory in very preterm
      born children, and this seems to have a strong influence on cognitive functioning. During the
      last years, several studies have shown that working memory skills can be trained, and
      training working memory to improve cognition and executive functions is regarded as one of
      the major steps forward in neuroscience in recent years.

      The working memory training program version for preschoolers, Cogmed JM, has recently been
      launched. Healthy preschoolers trained on working memory improved significantly on trained
      tasks but also on non-trained tests of spatial and verbal working memory, as well as transfer
      effects on attention. The preschool version of the program has not yet been administered to
      preterm born or other neurologic high risk children in this age group.

      The main aim of this prospective interventional study is to compare quantitative EEG findings
      and cognitive and neuropsychological test results before and after training with the Cogmed
      JM program in a group of very-low-birth-weight children in preschool age, i.e. ages 5-6
      years. We hypothesise that the children in the study may respond positively to the
      computerized training and improve working memory, but probably to different degrees depending
      on the underlying neurological condition. We also hypothesise that training may benefit
      additional executive functions.

      The children in the study will be divided into two subgroups (15/15 children). Subgroup A
      will start training, while subgroup B waits during this first training period. Subgroup B
      will therefore act as a control group. After 8 weeks subgroup B will then start training.
      This is in agreement with the so-called Stepped Wedge design (Brown and Lilford 2006).
    

Intervention name(s): Cogmed JM working memory training; Cogmed JM working memory training after waiting
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): daily training for 5 weeks on a computerized program for training working memory; a total of 25 training sessions. Program: Cogmed JM - preschool version of program: 15-20 minutes training per day; Waiting after baseline testing for 8 weeks. Daily training on a computerized program for training working memory for 5 weeks. 25 training sessions in total. Program: Cogmed JM - preschool version of program: 15-20 minutes training per day
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: working memory training, computerized; clinical assessment; quantitative EEG; child, preschool