Clinical trial NCT00586638: Training Cognitive Control Processes in Older Adults
Official title: Pilot Study Using a Video Game to Train Cognitive Control Processes in Healthy Older Adults
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Neurologic Manifestations
Neurobehavioral Manifestations
Keywords: cognition
cognition disorders
executive function
cognitive control
attentional control
biomedical enhancement
cognitive enhancement
computerized
computer-based
video game
Lead sponsor: Columbia University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2008-01-04
Enrollment: 60
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 60
Maximum age (years): 75
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL

Brief summary: Control processes are classes of brain activity that initiate, coordinate, synchronize, and regulate elemental cognitive functions for the conduct of goal-directed behavior. The proposed research investigates whether exposure to a computer-based training protocol designed to enhance cognitive control processes will improve cognitive performance in healthy older adults.

Detailed description: The proposed research investigates whether exposure to a computer-based training protocol designed to enhance cognitive control processes will improve cognitive performance in healthy older adults. Cognitively normal adults aged 60-75 will be randomized into three experimental groups: 1) Video game play with training strategy; 2) Video game play without training strategy (Active Control); 3) Minimal contact (Passive Control). Subjects in Groups 1 and 2 will be instructed to play the complex, high-demand video game, Space Fortress, for 36 one-hour sessions over 12 weeks. Subjects in Group 3 will receive all assessments but will not play the computer game.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 60-75
* Willingness to adhere to training protocol
* Adequate English proficiency

Exclusion Criteria:

* Known history of cognitive impairment, dementia, stroke, seizure disorder, or other neuropsychiatric condition judged to impact cognitive performance
* Taking medications known to influence cognitive performance
* Sensory (e.g. visual, auditory) or physical (e.g. severe arthritic, orthopedic, neurologic) impairment incompatible with use of a standard computer workstation.
* Enrolled in a concurrent study that could affect the outcome of this study

Primary outcomes:
measure: Neuropsychological testing
timeFrame: Week 1, 12, 24
measure: Cognitive-experimental tasks
timeFrame: Week 1, 6, 12, 24
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: New York
country: United States
facility: Columbia University Medical Center
state: New York
Study officials:
affiliation: Columbia University
name: Yaakov Stern, Ph.D.
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Blumen HM, Gopher D, Steinerman JR, Stern Y. Training cognitive control in older adults with the space fortress game: the role of training instructions and basic motor ability. Front Aging Neurosci. 2010 Nov 11;2:145. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2010.00145. eCollection 2010.
citation: Stern Y, Blumen HM, Rich LW, Richards A, Herzberg G, Gopher D. Space Fortress game training and executive control in older adults: a pilot intervention. Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn. 2011 Nov;18(6):653-77. doi: 10.1080/13825585.2011.613450. Epub 2011 Oct 12.