Cognitive Fitness for Depression in Older Adults
- Conditions
- Depressive Disorder, MajorMild Cognitive ImpairmentDepression Mild
- Registration Number
- NCT04790630
- Lead Sponsor
- UConn Health
- Brief Summary
This research is being done to determine if computerized administered cognitive fitness activities will improve thinking and depression in older depressed adults who are being treated with antidepressants. The investigators are also interested in whether participating in the treatment will result in changes to brain activity measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Detailed Description
Major depression in the elderly is both challenging to treat and detrimental to the cognitive functioning of patients. Major depression increases the probability of a later dementia diagnosis. By targeting cognitive processes in treatment, the investigators hope to both find a more effective means to manage major depression in older adults, but also demonstrate how top-down processes (e.g., Executive Control Network) may be driving depression and cognitive decline in older adults.
The investigators are recruiting older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment. All subjects must have at least mild depressive symptoms to be eligible to participate. Subjects will be randomly assigned to one of two different interventions.
Results of this study will help the investigators understand the mechanisms that contribute to depressed mood and cognitive change in older adults with late life depression.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 138
- ability to read and write in English
- current major or mild depression despite ongoing treatment
- under the care of a physician who prescribes medication for depression
- currently treated with an antidepressant for at least 8 weeks
- psychosis
- other psychiatric disorders (except personality & generalized anxiety disorders)
- substance use disorders in the prior year
- clinical diagnosis of dementia
- neurological disorders (e.g., stroke, epilepsy, brain injury with loss of consciousness > 30 minutes, brain tumors, demyelinating diseases)
- corrected visual acuity < 20/70 or color blindness
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change in depression symptom severity as measured with the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) Pre-treatment and six weeks later when treatment has ended depression rating scale
Change in attention / cognitive flexibility as measured by the Trail Making Part B test Pre-treatment and six weeks later when treatment has ended time to complete alpha-numeric sequencing
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change in problem solving/speed/spatial memory as measured with the NIH Toolbox fluid composite scales Pre-treatment and six weeks later when treatment has ended computerized picture memory, simple processing speed, problem solving/mental flexibility
Change in self-reported depressive symptoms measured with the Carroll Depression Rating Scale Pre-treatment and six weeks later when treatment has ended self-report of depression symptoms
Change in verbal learning as measured with the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) Total Learning Pre-treatment and six weeks later when treatment has ended number of words recalled over 5 trials and spontaneous semantic organization of those words
Change in attention processing speed as measured with the Flanker Test of Response Inhibition from the NIH Cognitive Toolbox Pre-treatment and six weeks later when treatment has ended computerized test of response inhibition, speed of responding
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
UConn Health
🇺🇸Farmington, Connecticut, United States
UConn Health🇺🇸Farmington, Connecticut, United States