Mild Cognitive Impairment
Conditions
Keywords
Working Memory, Training, fMRI
Brief summary
This study will evaluate the efficacy of working memory training in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Detailed description
Working memory (WM) is the ability to hold information actively in mind and is fundamental for higher-order cognition. This pilot study aims to (1) evaluate the efficacy of WM training in older adults with MCI and (2) understand if and how it works. The study will use behavioral and brain imaging assessments to see whether WM training changes how participants learn and remember information. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) methods will be used. The study will also use cognitive tests and questionnaires to determine whether participants' cognitive abilities change with training. The study will enroll participants with a diagnosis of MCI as well as cognitively intact older adults (healthy controls, HC).
Interventions
BEHAVIORALWorking Memory Training
A 10-session working memory (WM) training program
Sponsors
University of Michigan
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Participants in the MCI group will be assigned to receive either in-person (Arm1) or online WM training (Arm2), based on their preference and availability of equipment ensuring a stable internet connection, for 10 training sessions. Participants in the HC group will receive online training (Arm3). Data for HC who received in-person training was already collected (HUM00033133). WM performance in conjunction with brain imaging will be assessed within-subject, twice pre-training (Time1 and Time2) and once post-training (Time3), as well as \ 1 month after training (Follow-up). The Time1 vs. Time2 comparison will reveal task-exposure effects, whereas the Time2 vs. Time3 comparison will reveal training effects.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
60 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* MCI Diagnosis * Right-handedness * MRI-eligibility for MRI participants
Exclusion criteria
* History of other contributing neurological or medical conditions known to affect cognitive functioning * Significant mental illness * Sensory impairments that limit ability to participate * History of alcohol or drug abuse/dependence
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gains in WM training task performance | 2 weeks | Analyses of WM performance for each training session indexed as the mean set-size achieved during each training session for each participant |
| Changes in brain activation within the WM network | 2 weeks | Univariate analyses via fMRI and fNIRS, respectively, using units of brain activation (i.e., contrast estimates) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Changes in criterion (fMRI) WM task performance | 2 weeks | Analyses of WM performance indexed as percent accuracy |
| Changes in functional connectivity within and between canonical brain networks | 2 weeks | Graph theory analysis via fMRI and fNIRS, respectively, using measures of connectivity strength (i.e., correlation coefficients) |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed