Clinical trial NCT06047769: Effects of Board Games on Balance in Association With Cognition in Community-Dwelling Elderly.
Official title: Effects of Board Games on Balance in Association With Cognition in Community-Dwelling Elderly.
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Geriatric Population
Lead sponsor: Riphah International University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2023-09-21
Enrollment: 64
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 60
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: As age progress incidence of fall increases. Cognitively impaired patients have poor balance and they are more prone to falls. Balance and cognitive functions are co-related in middle-aged and community-dwelling elderly. In fact age-related cognitive decline as the brain ages it has exceptional neuroplasticity. To maintain balance and prevent falls various cognitive processes are required. Board games can be used as tools for cognitive training as they have the means to restore and form motor skills, cognitive functioning, and logical and spatial thinking. Cognitive training using simple games might improve the elements of balance and gait, and prevent falls.

Detailed description: In fact age-related cognitive decline, as the brain ages, it has exceptional neuroplasticity. This can be achieved by cognitive training which consists of domain-specific task completion or exercises to promote neurogenesis in that domain. Cognitive training is an approach towards enhancing neural plasticity by focusing on and training cognitive domains for balance improvement. Board games can be used as tools for cognitive training as they have the means to restore and form motor skills, cognitive functioning, and logical and spatial thinking. A board game is a generic term for a game played by placing, moving or removing pieces on a board and that utilizes a game format in which pieces are moved in particular ways on a board marked with a pattern. As a tool, board games can improve comprehension and cognitive functioning among participants.

As per a study, computer-based cognitive training by simple games such as Road Tour, Jewel Diver, and Sweep Seeker improved visuospatial memory, speed of processing and inhibition which in turn improved balance and gait, and prevented falls in community-dwelling elderly but as per the author's access, there's lack of standardization in terms of types of cognitive training program intended to improve balance in the elderly population by using simple board games. Hence, the author established the research question of whether is this technique effective in the elderly population in terms of its effects on cognition and balance to prevent falls. This study will provide insight to the clinician on whether board games-based cognitive training improves balance and prevents fall risk in the elderly population.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Males and Female participants aged 60 years or older.
* Score of 26 or more on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
* At least one self-reported fall within the last 2 years or (BBS) score less than 52 and more than 41.
* Subjects who are willing to commit to the time commitments required by the program.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Those who will not meet the inclusion criteria.
* Presence of any physical limitation that may limit hand movement.
* Presence of a severe walking or balance impairment For Example; (Amputation, or Fracture at that time.)
* Self-reported presence of vertigo
* Any visual disease
* Currently using psychotropic medications.
* Presence of any neurological disorder

Primary outcomes:
measure: Berg Balance Scale (BBS)
timeFrame: Baseline
measure: Berg Balance Scale (BBS)
timeFrame: After 4 weeks
measure: Berg Balance Scale (BBS)
timeFrame: After 8 weeks
measure: Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)
timeFrame: Baseline
measure: Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)
timeFrame: After 4 weeks
measure: Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE)
timeFrame: After 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Dynamic Gait Index (DGI)
timeFrame: Baseline
measure: Dynamic Gait Index (DGI)
timeFrame: After 4 weeks
measure: Dynamic Gait Index (DGI)
timeFrame: After 8 weeks
measure: Timed Up & Go test (TUG)
timeFrame: Baseline
measure: Timed Up & Go test (TUG)
timeFrame: After 4 weeks
measure: Timed Up & Go test (TUG)
timeFrame: After 8 weeks
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Islamabad
country: Pakistan
facility: ABID Hospital
Study officials:
affiliation: Riphah International University
name: Imran Amjad, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Smith-Ray RL, Hughes SL, Prohaska TR, Little DM, Jurivich DA, Hedeker D. Impact of Cognitive Training on Balance and Gait in Older Adults. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2015 May;70(3):357-66. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbt097. Epub 2013 Nov 5.
citation: Smith-Ray RL, Makowski-Woidan B, Hughes SL. A randomized trial to measure the impact of a community-based cognitive training intervention on balance and gait in cognitively intact Black older adults. Health Educ Behav. 2014 Oct;41(1 Suppl):62S-9S. doi: 10.1177/1090198114537068.
citation: Willis SL, Tennstedt SL, Marsiske M, Ball K, Elias J, Koepke KM, Morris JN, Rebok GW, Unverzagt FW, Stoddard AM, Wright E; ACTIVE Study Group. Long-term effects of cognitive training on everyday functional outcomes in older adults. JAMA. 2006 Dec 20;296(23):2805-14. doi: 10.1001/jama.296.23.2805.
citation: Noda S, Shirotsuki K, Nakao M. The effectiveness of intervention with board games: a systematic review. Biopsychosoc Med. 2019 Oct 21;13:22. doi: 10.1186/s13030-019-0164-1. eCollection 2019.
citation: Smith GE, Housen P, Yaffe K, Ruff R, Kennison RF, Mahncke HW, Zelinski EM. A cognitive training program based on principles of brain plasticity: results from the Improvement in Memory with Plasticity-based Adaptive Cognitive Training (IMPACT) study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2009 Apr;57(4):594-603. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2008.02167.x. Epub 2009 Feb 9.