Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial for the Evaluation of a Novel Adaptive Attention Training in Healthy Adolescents

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This project will evaluate the neuro-cognitive outcomes of a novel, adaptive attention training in a healthy adolescent population.

Detailed Description
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Aspects of cognitive control, such as attention and working memory, are critical for successful goal-directed behavior. Importantly, variability in cognitive control abilities can influence real-world functioning, such as scholastic success in children and adolescents. The primary goal of this project is to examine the outcomes of a novel, adaptive attention training that primarily targets aspects of sustained attention and secondarily targets delayed gratification in adolescents. As such, the investigators will validate the feasibility and efficacy of this novel training in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) study. Specifically, healthy adolescents (age 12-16 years old) will be recruited for a longitudinal experiment in which they are randomly assigned to the adaptive attention training group ('Engage') or one of two expectancy-matched control groups. Depending on the assigned group, participants will complete 1 hour (low-dose control group) or 15 hours ('Engage' and active control groups) of training as well as pre-, post- and follow-up assessments of cognitive, neural, and behavioral measures. We hypothesize that completion of 'Engage' training will result in enhancement of fronto-parietal control functions that underlie sustained attention and suppression of ventral-striatal reward impulses, ultimately improving these abilities in a healthy adolescent population.

Official Title
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Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial for the Evaluation of a Novel Adaptive Attention Training in Healthy Adolescents

Conditions
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Healthy Adolescents

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Adaptive Attention Training
* Behavioral: Active Control
* Behavioral: Low-dose Adaptive Attention Training


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Healthy right-handed children, age 12-16 years old No ADHD status (verified with the Vanderbilt ADHD Parent form) Willing and able to undergo MRI and EEG procedures Exclusion Criteria: Current psychotropic medications Current diagnosis of any axis I psychiatric disorder History of seizure disorder or seizure episodes over the last 2 years Motor/perceptual handicap that prevents computer use

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 12 Years
Maximum Age: 16 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Triple


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Adaptive Attention Training<br>The training group will engage in 15 hours of at-home training on a novel iPad-based adaptive attention training program ('Engage'). Individuals will complete thirty 30-minute sessions over six weeks. Training compliance and performance data (accuracies and reaction times) will be continuously monitored remotely and analyzed over secure online servers to ensure that participants are completing training as scheduled and to deal with any unexpected road-blocks in training. | Behavioral: Adaptive Attention Training<br>* The training is comprised of a time-based titration of rich audiovisual and sparse audio interactive environments. Training progressively transitions the participants from an immersive and rapid reward setting to a less immersive, sensory impoverished, and slower reward setting. Further, the participants' actions require delayed gratification decisions to accomplish play in the sparse setting, building fronto-parietal control through sustained attention and suppression of ventral-striatal reward impulses.<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: Active Control<br>The active control group will engage in 15 hours of at-home training on an iPad game ('Boing'). Individuals will complete game play for the same number of hours as the training group to control for the effects of computer exposure and interaction, contact with research personnel, and monetary rewards. Compliance will be monitored similarly to the adaptive attention training group. | Behavioral: Active Control<br>* Participants in the expectancy-matched active control group will play a visuo-spatial iPad game, in which players use their finger to move an object to different successive square platforms. Expectancy matching to the adaptive attention training was pre-confirmed in 121 participants (18-20 years of age), using targeted surveys on MTurk about their expectations of either training exposure on our specific outcome measures. To balance expectations of potential benefits, this group will receive identical recruitment and experimental instructions as the adaptive attention training group.<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: Low-dose Adaptive Attention Training<br>The low-dose training group will engage in 1 hour of at-home training on 'Engage'. Individuals will complete two 30-minute sessions at the beginning and middle of a six-week period. Compliance will be monitored similarly to the adaptive attention training group. | Behavioral: Low-dose Adaptive Attention Training<br>* Participants in the low-dose training group will play a reduced number of sessions as the Adaptive Attention Training group. Specifically, they will train for two 30-minute sessions at the start and middle of a six-week period. To balance expectations of potential benefits, this group will receive identical recruitment and experimental instructions as the adaptive attention training group.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA), visual form, change from baseline |  | Change from baseline at completion of practice on assigned intervention and at 6 months follow-up post-intervention. | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Delay Discounting task, change from baseline |  | Change from baseline at completion of practice on assigned intervention and at 6 months follow-up post-intervention. | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Teen health, Teen development, Adolescent development, Memory, Attention, Reward processing