An Integrative System for Enhancing Fluid Intelligence (Gf) Through Human Cognitive Activity, Fitness, High-definition Transcranial Direct-current Brain Stimulation (HD-tDCS), and Nutritional Intervention
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 已完成
- 入组人数
- 521
- 试验地点
- 1
- 主要终点
- Change in Bochum Matrices Test
研究概览
简要总结
Adaptive reasoning and problem-solving are critical skills that allow for accurate decisions to be made based on varying levels of information. In many situations these decisions must be made and communicated under stressful, time-sensitive conditions. In such contexts, an ability to apply inductive and deductive reasoning to complex, ambiguous, and/or novel problems is critical. The objective of the INSIGHT project is to establish a comprehensive and rigorous brain training protocol to significantly improve adaptive reasoning and problem solving. We will examine a variety of interventions (cognitive training, physical fitness training, physiological stimulation, , and combinations thereof) to assess their ability to improve adaptive reasoning and problem solving abilities. Multimodal interventions are hypothesized to act synergistically to significantly enhance fluid intelligence (Gf) and underlying brain structure and function.
详细描述
Recent innovations in cognitive neuroscience have advanced understanding of the neurobiological foundations of fluid intelligence (Gf) and adaptive reasoning and problem solving (ARP). Rather than engaging a single brain structure (e.g., prefrontal cortex) or operating at a fixed level of performance throughout adulthood, emerging neuroscience evidence indicates that Gf and ARP are mediated by a distributed neural system whose functions can be significantly enhanced by specific types of interventions, including cognitive training, high-definition transcranial direct-current brain stimulation (HD-tDCS), and physical fitness training. The main objective of the INSIGHT project is to establish and validate a comprehensive and rigorous brain training protocol that incorporates the best available interventions for the enhancement of Gf and ARP.
The project was divided into two phases, with the first occurring in February -November 2014 and the second occurring February - December 2015. The two phases were similar in structure and goals/hypotheses, but had several methodological differences in terms of interventions, arms, and outcome measures. This document contains information pertinent to only the 2014 phase, which examined the relative contributions of physical fitness intervention, video-game based training, and high-definition transcranial direct-current brain stimulation (HD-tDCS) to the improvement of Gf/ARP, executive function, working memory, relational memory, physical fitness level, and brain structure/function.
Arms/groups completed 1 week of testing to establish baseline measurements of cognitive abilities, physical fitness, and brain structure/function. 16 weeks of various intervention protocols. These protocols could include single or multiple intervention type(s) with varying schedules. Three 70-min training sessions were completed per week, so all arms completed 56 hours of training, total. Following completion of the intervention period was 1 week of post-assessment to measure changes in cognitive abilities, physical fitness, and brain structure/function.
Technical Justification for Physical Fitness Intervention: The beneficial effects of physical fitness on cognitive performance and brain health have been documented in many studies. For example, this literature suggests that increased exercise leads to the birth of new neurons in the hippocampus (a key brain region underlying Gf), increased connections among neurons throughout the brain, the development of new vasculature structure, increased production of neurotrophic proteins, enhanced learning and memory, and enhanced executive control including attention and inhibition, working memory, mental flexibility, and action monitoring. In particular, (1) exercise effects are largest for tasks that involve executive control functions for working memory, planning, and problem solving - abilities that are essential for Gf and ARP; and (2) aerobic exercise training, when combined with strength and flexibility training, had a greater positive effect on cognition compared to exercise training programs that included only aerobic components. Such findings provide important justification for the physical activity intervention proposed here. Hence, the proposed fitness intervention employs a combined aerobic/resistance training program to further enhance the benefits of cognitive training on Gf and ARP.
Technical Justification for Video Game-Based Training: Training on five cognitive skills - (1) processing speed, (2) attention, (3) working memory, (4) relational memory, and (5) cognitive flexibility - has been shown to provide promising transfer results to Gf and other relevant constructs. This training regime is the basis for the design of the Mind Frontiers software platform. Mind Frontiers includes an integrated suite of mini-games that are designed to train these five core cognitive skills. The mechanics, as abstractions of the cognitive exercises, ensure that the scientific integrity and the training effect of the exercises are preserved, but the exercises are implemented as games with motivational features and adaptive difficulty.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 盲法
- Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 18 Years 至 44 Years（Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •English fluency
- •US citizen, US permanent resident, or student/work visa sponsored by UIUC
- •Available for 18-20 weeks
- •Ages 18 - 44
- •Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
- •Normal or corrected-to-normal hearing
排除标准
- •Previous participant in studies with similar protocols
- •Currently taking any medication affecting CNS
- •Has taken medication affecting CNS in past 2 months
- •Current or planned pregnancy
- •Recurrent migraines
- •Concussion in past 2 years
- •History of stroke
- •History of epilepsy/seizures
- •Any medical condition affecting CNS (e.g., history of thyroid cancer)
- •Any medical condition affecting capability to exercise (e.g., paralysis)
- •Reading disability/dyslexia
- •Prior brain surgery
- •Known brain malformation
- •Colorblindness
- •Heart condition that requires physician approval for physical activity
- •Chest pain (with OR without physical activity)
- •Loss of balance/dizziness/loss of consciousness
- •Bone or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in physical activity
- •Medication for blood pressure or a heart condition
研究组 & 干预措施
Fitness, Cognitive Training, active tDCS
32 hours and 40 min of high-intensity cardiorespiratory fitness training (28 70-min sessions distributed over 16 weeks); 23 hours and 20 min of video game training with Mind Frontiers 1.0 adaptive cognitive training software with simultaneous active tDCS for a total of 10 hrs (20 70-min sessions distributed over weeks 5-16)
干预措施: Cognitive Training - 20 sessions (Behavioral)
Active Control
56 hours of video game training with visual search and change detection tasks using open sesame software (48 70-min sessions distributed over 16 weeks)
干预措施: Active Control (Behavioral)
Cognitive Training - 48 sessions
56 hours of video game training with Mind Frontiers adaptive cognitive training software (48 70-min sessions distributed over 16 weeks)
干预措施: Cognitive Training - 48 sessions (Behavioral)
Fitness, Cognitive Training, sham tDCS
32 hours and 40 min of high-intensity cardiorespiratory fitness training (28 70-min sessions distributed over 16 weeks); 23 hours and 20 min of video game training with Mind Frontiers adaptive cognitive training software with simultaneous sham tDCS (20 70-min sessions distributed over weeks 5-16)
干预措施: Fitness (Behavioral)
Fitness, Cognitive Training, sham tDCS
32 hours and 40 min of high-intensity cardiorespiratory fitness training (28 70-min sessions distributed over 16 weeks); 23 hours and 20 min of video game training with Mind Frontiers adaptive cognitive training software with simultaneous sham tDCS (20 70-min sessions distributed over weeks 5-16)
干预措施: sham tDCS (Device)
Fitness, Cognitive Training, sham tDCS
32 hours and 40 min of high-intensity cardiorespiratory fitness training (28 70-min sessions distributed over 16 weeks); 23 hours and 20 min of video game training with Mind Frontiers adaptive cognitive training software with simultaneous sham tDCS (20 70-min sessions distributed over weeks 5-16)
干预措施: Cognitive Training - 20 sessions (Behavioral)
Fitness, Cognitive Training, active tDCS
32 hours and 40 min of high-intensity cardiorespiratory fitness training (28 70-min sessions distributed over 16 weeks); 23 hours and 20 min of video game training with Mind Frontiers 1.0 adaptive cognitive training software with simultaneous active tDCS for a total of 10 hrs (20 70-min sessions distributed over weeks 5-16)
干预措施: Fitness (Behavioral)
Fitness, Cognitive Training, active tDCS
32 hours and 40 min of high-intensity cardiorespiratory fitness training (28 70-min sessions distributed over 16 weeks); 23 hours and 20 min of video game training with Mind Frontiers 1.0 adaptive cognitive training software with simultaneous active tDCS for a total of 10 hrs (20 70-min sessions distributed over weeks 5-16)
干预措施: active tDCS (Device)
No Contact Control
Completed no study activities for 16 weeks after pre-assessment, then returned for post-assessment
结局指标
主要结局
Change in Bochum Matrices Test
时间窗: 2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period
BOMAT is a non-verbal, one-dimensional neuropsychological test of Gf. The test consists of a series of 5x3 matrices of patternswith each matrix missing one field. The participant selects one of six possible answers that complete the matrix. The problems range from simple to complex and are all in black-and-white. Participants complete a 15-min practice and have 45 min to complete as many problems as they can (29 total).
次要结局
- Change in Keep Track(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in BOLD signal at rest(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Paired Associates(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Letter Sets(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Rotation Span(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Reading Span(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Immediate and Delayed Free Recall - Words(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Object Location Task performance(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in 3-back Task performance(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Height(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Need for Cognition(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in VO2 Max (relative, percentile)(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in BOLD signal during task(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Cerebral Blood Flow(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Big Five Inventory (BFI) Questionnaire(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Number Series(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Symmetry Span(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Saliva-based Genetic Biomarkers(One administration, within a week after finishing the 16-week intervention)
- Weight(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Godin-Shepard Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in UCLA Loneliness Scale(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale(Administered once, within a week after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Garavan(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Stroop(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Immediate and Delayed Free Recall - Pictures(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Body Mass Index(2 administrations: within 2 weeks before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in brain structure(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Grit Scale Questionniare(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Post-Experiment Survey(Administered once, within 2 weeks after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Diffusion of Water in the brain(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Demographics Questionnaire(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Change in Implicit Theories of Intelligence Survey (ITIS)(2 administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Game Feedback - Mind Frontiers(Administered at Sessions 1, 20 (or 24), and 48 of the Mind Frontiers intervention)
- Preference for and Tolerance of the Intensity of Exercise Questionnaire (PRETIE-Q)(Two administrations: within a week before beginning and after finishing the 16-week intervention period)
- Game Feedback - Active Control(Administered at Sessions 1, 24, and 48 of Active Control intervention)
- Army Physical Readiness Test (APRT)(Administered at Session 1 and Session 28 of the fitness intervention)
- Heart rate(Data collected continuously during at all 28 fitness intervention sessions)