Clinical trial NCT02953964: Memory Encoding Strategies for People With Mild Cognitive Impairments
Official title: Perceptual and Semantic Memory Encoding Strategies for People With Mild Cognitive Impairment
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Mild Cognitive Impairment
Mild Dementia
Lead sponsor: University of Western Sydney
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2016-11-03
Enrollment: 60
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 60
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The purposes of the study are:

* To evaluate the effectiveness of a perceptual-based training program in enhancing cognitive and everyday functioning of older adults with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia
* To evaluate the effectiveness of a semantic-based training program in enhancing cognitive and everyday functioning of older adults with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia

Detailed description: People with dementia experience a cognitive decline that affects their functional performance. It has been identified that encoding is less effective in people with dementia. Rehabilitating at the encoding stage is, therefore, essential. A recent systematic review found that effective interventions needed to include training in individually selected memory encoding strategies. These strategies are classified as either perceptual (visual) or semantic (association) memory encoding strategies.

Based on the above literature, the chief investigator (Associate Professor Karen Liu) ran a pilot study on an integrated home and community centre cognitive training programme for 20 elderly people with memory problem using a pre-test and post-test comparison design.

Extending on the positive results, the aim of this project was to investigate the effectiveness of perceptual and semantic encoding strategies (and compare with a control intervention). It also aims to promote the understanding of memory loss and dementia and the need for early intervention for family members of the participants.

Eligibility criteria: Selection Criteria:

* are aged 60 or above;
* have no previous psychiatric or memory disorder history or other neurological illness;
* have Mini-mental State Examination score (MMSE) greater than or equal to 21;
* have Clinical Dementia Rating score (CDR) of 0.5 or 1 indicating very mild and mild dementia;
* do not show sign of depression with score below 9 out of 30 in the Geriatric Depression Scale;
* are able to communicate effectively;
* have family member who can participate in the study; and
* voluntarily consent to participate in the study.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in Disability Assessment for Dementia
timeFrame: Within two days before the intervention and within two days after the 10-week intervention
measure: Change in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale
timeFrame: Within two days before the intervention and within two days after the 10-week intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Change in Cognistat
timeFrame: Within two days before the intervention and within two days after the 10-week intervention
measure: Change in Digit Span Test
timeFrame: Within two days before the intervention and within two days after the 10-week intervention
measure: Change in Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease
timeFrame: Within two days before the intervention and within two days after the 10-week intervention
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Penrith
country: Australia
facility: Western Sydney University
state: New South Wales
city: Hong Kong
country: Hong Kong
facility: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Study officials:
References: