Clinical trial NCT01983930: Memory Training Versus Yogic Meditation Training in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment
Official title: Memory Training Versus Yogic Meditation Training in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Mild Cognitive Impairment
Keywords: Memory impairment
Meditation
Yoga
memory training
Mild cognitive impairment
MCI
geriatric
fMRI
Lead sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2013-11-14
Enrollment: 81
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 55
Maximum age (years): 90
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Brief summary: The purpose of this pilot study is to test whether 6 months of supervised weekly Kundalini yoga classes and a brief daily meditation homework assignment can improve memory and thinking in older adults with mild memory complaints when compared to weekly classes of memory training with daily homework assignments.

Detailed description: The purpose of this pilot study intervention is to investigate brain mechanisms of response to memory enhancement training (MET) compared to Kundalini yoga and "Kirtan Kriya" meditation using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that will be acquired from each subject at baseline and at 12 weeks (post-randomization).

Overall, the investigators anticipate recruiting 66 adults with memory complaints and diagnosed with MCI for adults 55 years old and older. Subjects will either receive: (1) MET class for 60 minutes per week; or (2) Kundalini yoga and "Kirtan Kriya" meditation class for 60 minutes per week. All assessments will be completed immediately after the interventions for a total of 10 visits in 12 weeks and a follow-up visit at 6 months (24 weeks)to monitor the overall benefit of the intervention.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Mild cognitive impairment amnestic type
* Clinical Dementia Rating scale score of 0.5
* SufficientEnglish proficiency and 8th grade or higher reading level as determined by the word reading subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test-IV
* Capacity to provide informed consent.

Exclusion criteria:

* Any current or past psychiatric disorders, or recent unstable medical or neurological disorders
* Any disabilities preventing their participation in the memory enhancement training (MET) (e.g. severe visual or hearing impairment)
* Insufficient English proficiency
* Diagnosis of dementia
* Mini Mental Health Examination score of 24 and below
* Psychoactive medications
* Participation in a psychotherapy that involves cognitive training
* Do not meet criteria for Mild cognitive impairment subtype
* Prior or current training in yoga.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Cognitive Measures - Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT) Total Recall Score
timeFrame: At baseline and at 6 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Clinical Global Impression Scale
timeFrame: Baseline, weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24
measure: Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
timeFrame: Baseline and Week 24
measure: Change in Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Connectivity
timeFrame: 12 weeks
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Los Angeles
country: United States
facility: UCLA Semel Institute
state: California
Study officials:
affiliation: UCLA Semel Institute
name: Helen Lavretsky, MD, MS
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Eyre HA, Siddarth P, Acevedo B, Van Dyk K, Paholpak P, Ercoli L, St Cyr N, Yang H, Khalsa DS, Lavretsky H. A randomized controlled trial of Kundalini yoga in mild cognitive impairment. Int Psychogeriatr. 2017 Apr;29(4):557-567. doi: 10.1017/S1041610216002155. Epub 2017 Jan 16.