Clinical trial NCT03803566: Age-independent Decline in Manual Dexterity of Middle-aged and Older Adults
Official title: Age-independent Decline in Manual Dexterity of Middle-aged and Older Adults
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: WITHDRAWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Aging
Keywords: Manual dexterity
Lead sponsor: University of Colorado, Boulder
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2019-01-14
Enrollment: 0
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 50
Maximum age (years): 89
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Primary purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE

Brief summary: The objective of the clinical trial is to evaluate the mediating influence of force control on the pegboard times of adults (50-89 years) who are stratified into groups of faster and slower pegboard times. The hypothesis is that practice of either a pegboard test or a force-control task will reduce pegboard times, but the decrease will be greater and less similar after the two practice interventions for the slower group of participants. The outcomes are expected to demonstrate that force control is a modifiable mediator of pegboard times for this cohort, but the effect will be stronger for the group with faster pegboard times.

Detailed description: The study will involve a randomized, cross-over design with a one-week washout between arms. The two arms (3 weeks each) will comprise practice of the grooved pegboard test and practice of steady contractions while lifting and lowering light loads with a hand muscle. Randomization into practice order will be accomplished with a block approach (block size = 4) for each of the two groups. The outcome assessors will be blinded to practice order. The outcomes will comprise three tests of manual dexterity and the measurement of force control during submaximal contractions. The outcomes will be obtained before and after the six sessions in each practice arm.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Able to read, write, and speak English
* Able to arrange transportation to the Boulder campus

Exclusion Criteria:

* Cognitive impairment
* Major psychiatric condition
* Unstable depressive disorder
* Progressive neurological, muscular, cardiovascular, or skeletal disorder
* Chronic pain condition
* Currently taking medication known to influence neuromuscular function
* Recent hospitalization
* Unable to attend 12 practice sessions in 6 weeks

Primary outcomes:
measure: Grooved pegboard test
timeFrame: Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
measure: 9-hole pegboard test
timeFrame: Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
measure: Jebsen Hand Function test
timeFrame: Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
measure: Force control
timeFrame: Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
Secondary outcomes:
measure: EMG amplitude
timeFrame: Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
measure: MVC force
timeFrame: Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
measure: 1-RM load
timeFrame: Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
measure: Index finger acceleration
timeFrame: Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
measure: Motor unit discharge rates
timeFrame: Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Boulder
country: United States
facility: University of Colorado Boulder
state: Colorado
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Colorado, Boulder
name: Roger Enoka, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: