Cognitive Aging and Training With Video-games

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The ageing of the population will inevitably lead to a growing number of older people living alone and in need of care. Given the high cost of geriatric care, a critical research issue is exploring ways to improve or maintain cognitive and functional status in old age. Unfortunately, it has been shown that training those specific cognitive processes most sensitive to ageing (such as speed of processing or working memory), produces only limited beneficial effects. However, research also suggests that factors such as cognitive engagement, physical activity and social context may act as more general modulators of cognitive decline. This project is a longitudinal study with experimental and control groups. It is inspired from the engagement model of cognitive optimization suggesting that a lifestyle marked by social and intellectual engagement may mitigate age-related declines on cognitive functioning. It uses new cutting-edge information computing technology (ICT) solutions to improve or simply maintain cognitive functions in the elderly. This research investigates how the treatment reduces the effects of cognitive age-related decline in executive control processes and episodic (explicit) memory using behavioral and imaging measures. The results will provide significant knowledge on the potential of new ICT technologies to delay, compensate, and even prevent common chronic problems experienced by the elderly population. The hypothesis is that cognitive training with video-games through ICT solutions will promote brain and mental health and independence. Ultimately, the objective is to contribute to the understanding of factors that help avoiding the (personal and economic) consequences of long-term care in geriatric institutions.

Detailed Description
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The aim of the present project was to investigate whether older adults could benefit from brain training with video games in a series of cognitive tasks. Two groups of healthy older adults participated in the study. The experimental group received 20 1-hr video game training sessions using a commercially available brain-training package (Lumosity) involving problem solving, mental calculation, working memory and attention tasks. The control group did not practice this package and, instead, attended meetings with the other members of the study several times along the course of the study. Both groups were evaluated before and after the training (experimental group) or a similar period of time (control group) using different cognitive tasks in a 2 (Group: Experimental, control) x 2 (Time os assessment: Pre, post) mixed factorial design.

Official Title
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Compensation Factors of Cognitive Ageing: Using Computer Technology to Reduce Cognitive Decline in Ageing

Conditions
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Aging, Healthy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Non-action video game training


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score 26 or greater Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) score less than 5 Independent living Normal or correct to normal vision and hearing Exclusion Criteria: Diagnosis of dementia Planned move from study area Inability to complete study activities Scores lower than inclusion criteria requirements Communication problems.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 57 Years
Maximum Age: 85 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: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Non-action video game training<br>20 1-hour sessions of non-action video game training | Other: Non-action video game training<br>* Based on cognitive training Lumosity<br>|
| No Intervention: Control<br>Participants in the control group did not receive non-action video game training | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Neuropsychological testing | Improvement in Neuropsychological tests after training | Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks | 
| Oddball task | Improvement in attention after training | Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks | 
| Wisconsin task | Improvement in executive functions | Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks | 
| Speed of processing task | Improvement in processing speed after training | Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks | 
| Spatial working memory (WM) | Improvement in spatial working memory | Baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Efficacy of non-action video game training | Efficacy of training: Better performance in the trained video games from first training session to the last training session (from 1 to 20 sessions) | Up to 12 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Cognitive aging, Video games training, Attention, Memory, Wellbeing, Speed of processing, Executive functions