A Primary Care-Based Psychosocial Intervention To Improve Cognitive & Depression Outcomes in Older Adults With MCI & Early Stage AD

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Depression; Cognitive Impairment; Pain
• Interventions: Behavioral: PATH-Pain

• Registration Number: NCT05081596
• Lead Sponsor: Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Brief Summary

The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of Problem Adaptation Therapy for Pain (PATH-Pain) on cognitive functioning, depression and pain-related disability in 100 older adults with cognitive impairment, chronic pain, and depression. The study will test if PATH-Pain has better cognitive, affective, and functional outcomes than Attention Control Usual Care.

Detailed Description

This is a Randomized Control Trial to target cognition in older adults with MCI or Early AD, depression, and chronic pain with a psychotherapeutic intervention in primary care. This project will study the efficacy of 8 in-office acute treatment sessions (first 8 weeks) and 6 telephone delivered sessions (3 individual and 3 group) in the following months (from 9-36 weeks) of PATH- Pain vs. an equal number of sessions consisting of Attention Control Usual Care in improving cognitive, affective, and functional outcomes. Each therapy session will last approximately 50 minutes. Assessments will be conducted at study entry and weeks 5, 9 (end of acute treatment; includes assessment of cognitive functioning), 24, 36 (end of follow-up treatment; includes assessment of cognitive functioning) and 52 (includes assessments of cognitive functioning) after randomization. This is an efficacy trial, but by being delivered by certified mental health clinicians, it has a strong "real-world" focus.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2021-10-04
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-10-04
• Study First Posted: 2021-10-18
• Study Start: 2022-06-03
• Status Verified: 2025-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-05-20
• Last Update Posted: 2025-05-23
• Primary Completion: 2026-07-31
• Study Completion: 2027-07-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 100

Inclusion Criteria

• Age ≥ 60 years old
• MCI or early stage probable or possible AD diagnosis (as defined by Albert et al or McKhann et al) al). Patients will have at least mild cognitive deficits defined by 16 ≤ MoCA ≤ 25.
• Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)[55] total ≥ 5, which reflects at least some mild depressive symptoms.
• Participants will be off antidepressants, cholinesterase inhibitors or memantine or on a stable dosage for at least 12 weeks.
• Chronic pain (neuropathic, nociceptive or mixed disorders): presence of pain on most days for at least 3 months and average pain intensity score >=4.
• Clinical Dementia Rating 0.5 ≤ (CDR) ≤ 1.
• Participant will have capacity to consent.
• Participation of a study partner (e.g. caregiver/family member/significant other) is required.

Exclusion Criteria

• Deemed to have a significant suicide risk as assessed by site PI and clinical team.
• Deemed too unstable medically or neurologically to safely enroll in a research trial.
• Deemed too psychiatrically unstable to safely enroll in randomized trial of psychotherapy.
• Requiring psychiatric hospitalization at baseline for safety.
• Lack of English fluency.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Problem Adaptation Therapy for Pain (PATH-Pain)	PATH-Pain	Problem Adaptation Therapy-PAIN (PATH-PAIN) is an emotion regulation intervention aimes to reduce stress and decrease depression and disability.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in cognitive functioning, as measured by the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS)	Baseline, Weeks 9, 36, 52	RBANS is a widely used neuropsychological instrument which assesses cognitive functioning. The lowest score is 40 (severe cognitive impairment) and highest is 160 (less cognitive impairment).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in depressive symptoms, as measured by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)	Baseline, Weeks 5, 9, 24, 36, 52	MADRS is a depression instrument that has been used in studies of older adults with and without cognitive deficits. The lowest score is 0 (no depressive symptoms) and highest score is 60 (severe depressive symptoms).
Change in cognition, as measured by the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - Cognition Subscale (ADAS-COG)	Baseline, Weeks 9, 36, 52	ADAS-Cog is a widely used measure of cognition in clinical trials for antidementia therapies. The lowest score is 0 (no cognitive impairment) and highest is 70 (severe cognitive impairment).
Change in pain-related disability, as measured by the Roland-Morris Scale	Baseline, Weeks 5, 9, 24, 36, 52	Roland-Morris is a widely used instrument which measures pain-related disability. The lowest score is 0 (no disability) and highest score is 24 (severe disability).

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Weill Cornell Medicine; 🇺🇸 White Plains, New York, United States