This multicentre study, with a randomised controlled repeated measures experimental design, will be conducted in several Portuguese institutions, which provide care and supportive services for older adults diagnosed with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), with an aim to assess the effect of individual cognitive stimulation (CS) on memory and executive functioning. Participants in the intervention group will attend 24 individual CS sessions, twice weekly for 12 weeks. Participants in the control group will complete their usual routines without any activity restrictions.
Neurocognitive disorders (NCD) currently affect around 55 million people worldwide and expected to increase to 78 million by 2030 and 139 million by 2050, with Alzheimer's disease (AD) potentially accounting for 60-70% of dementia cases. Dementia is a syndrome, generally chronic or progressive in nature, that causes deterioration of cognitive function, particularly memory and executive functions, beyond what is expected in normal aging. However, there is evidence that in the early stages of NCD, people can learn and improve their cognitive functions through interventions such as CS. CS is a psychosocial intervention and a non-pharmacological therapy recommended by international practice guidelines for people with mild-to-moderate stage AD. However, it is also important to investigate whether NCD generates new skills or only preserves acquired skills, given that AD manifests initially and notably with deficits in memory and learning, sometimes accompanied by deficits in executive functions. Testing the effectiveness of CS by recruiting a representative sample from several Portuguese districts and using a CS programme with detailed and comprehendible content, may elicit relevant evidence in clinical practice, contribute to the development of social development programs and initiatives to ensure social protection and inclusion, promote recurrent therapeutic interventions in Portuguese institutions with provide care and supporting services for older adults with dementia, and strengthen research on non-pharmacological therapies. Thus, this multicentre, randomised controlled study is essential to analyse the effects of the individual CS on global cognitive function and specific cognitive domains (e.g., executive functioning, memory) in older adults with mild or moderate AD.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
142
The intervention program will have 24 sessions (base scheme of 4 series of 6 sessions), lasting approximately 45 min and will be developed according to the following structure: - welcoming (greeting to the participant) (5 min); - orientation to reality (10 min); - main cognitive stimulation activity (25 min); - return to calm and evaluation of the session (5 min). The CS sessions will have an individual format and will be conducted by a professional with experience in CS and previously trained in this intervention. The intervention sessions will include several activities based on the CS principles, with evidence suggesting positive participant effects. The CS sessions will be carried out using material, developed by the principal investigator, in digital format (power point presentations). There will be no repetition of activities, and throughout the base CS program, the degree of difficulty of the exercises will be adjusted based on the dementia stage of the participant.
Rsocialform - Geriatria, Lda
Mealhada, Aveiro District, Portugal
Santa Casa da Misericórdia da Horta
Açores, Portugal
Cediara - Associação de Solidariedade Social de Ribeira de Fráguas
Aveiro, Portugal
Centro Social e Cultural S. Pedro de Bairro
Braga, Portugal
Centro Social Vale do Homem - Casa da Alegria
Braga, Portugal
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Castro Marim
Faro, Portugal
Fundação João Bento Raimundo
Guarda, Portugal
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Alcobaça
Leiria, Portugal
Associação de Socorros da Freguesia de Turcifal
Lisbon, Portugal
Centro de Apoio Social de Oeiras - IASFA
Lisbon, Portugal
...and 4 more locations
Cognitive functioning assessed through Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
Cognitive functioning assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), a gold standard screening tool for assessing global cognitive function. Scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating better cognitive functioning.
Time frame: baseline
Change in cognitive functioning assessed through Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
Change in cognitive functioning evaluated by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), a gold standard screening tool for assessing global cognitive function. Scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating better cognitive functioning.
Time frame: 12 weeks after the beginning of the intervention
Change in cognitive functioning assessed through Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
Change in cognitive functioning evaluated by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), a gold standard screening tool for assessing global cognitive function. Scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating better cognitive functioning.
Time frame: 12 weeks after end of intervention
Cognitive functioning assessed through Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-COG)
Evaluates the severity of cognitive deficits in AD in the following domains: memory, orientation, language, praxis and constructive capacity. The total score in the Portuguese version of ADAS-Cog is composed of 11 subtests in the cognitive part and varies between 0 (better performance) and 68 points (worse performance), i.e., higher scores equals better performance.
Time frame: baseline
Change in cognitive functioning assessed through Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-COG)
Evaluates the severity of cognitive deficits in AD in the following domains: memory, orientation, language, praxis and constructive capacity. The total score in the Portuguese version of ADAS-Cog is composed of 11 subtests in the cognitive part and varies between 0 (better performance) and 68 points (worse performance), i.e., higher scores equals better performance.
Time frame: 12 weeks after the beginning of the intervention
Change in cognitive functioning assessed through Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-COG)
Evaluates the severity of cognitive deficits in AD in the following domains: memory, orientation, language, praxis and constructive capacity. The total score in the Portuguese version of ADAS-Cog is composed of 11 subtests in the cognitive part and varies between 0 (better performance) and 68 points (worse performance), i.e., higher scores equals better performance.
Time frame: 12 weeks after end of intervention
Memory function evaluated through Memory Alteration Test (MAT)
The MAT is used to assess memory function. It is an easy and quick instrument that assesses five memory domains: temporal orientation, encoding, semantic memory, free recall, and cued recall. Total scores range from 0 to 50, with higher scores indicating better memory. It has good psychometric properties and is highly sensitive to mild cognitive decline.
Time frame: baseline
Change in memory function evaluated through Memory Alteration Test (MAT)
The MAT is used to assess memory function. It is an easy and quick instrument that assesses five memory domains: temporal orientation, encoding, semantic memory, free recall, and cued recall. Total scores range from 0 to 50, with higher scores indicating better memory. It has good psychometric properties and is highly sensitive to mild cognitive decline.
Time frame: 12 weeks after the beginning of the intervention
Change in memory function evaluated through Memory Alteration Test (MAT)
The MAT is used to assess memory function. It is an easy and quick instrument that assesses five memory domains: temporal orientation, encoding, semantic memory, free recall, and cued recall. Total scores range from 0 to 50, with higher scores indicating better memory. It has good psychometric properties and is highly sensitive to mild cognitive decline.
Time frame: 12 weeks after end of intervention
Memory function evaluated through Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT)
FCSRT is a verbal learning and memory test that allows prompting the encoding and retrieval conditions by using semantic cues on learning and recall trials. It is composed of 16 semantically categorised, unrelated items/words.
Time frame: baseline
Change in memory function evaluated through Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT)
FCSRT is a verbal learning and memory test that allows prompting the encoding and retrieval conditions by using semantic cues on learning and recall trials. It is composed of 16 semantically categorised, unrelated items/words.
Time frame: 12 weeks after the beginning of the intervention
Change in memory function evaluated through Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT)
FCSRT is a verbal learning and memory test that allows prompting the encoding and retrieval conditions by using semantic cues on learning and recall trials. It is composed of 16 semantically categorised, unrelated items/words.
Time frame: 12 weeks after end of intervention
Executive functions assessed through Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB)
FAB assesses executive functions such as abstract thinking, mental flexibility, motor programming, interference sensibility, inhibitory control and environmental independence. Scores range between 0 - 18 points with higher scores indicating better cognitive function.
Time frame: baseline
Change in executive functions assessed through Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB)
FAB assesses executive functions such as abstract thinking, mental flexibility, motor programming, interference sensibility, inhibitory control and environmental independence. Scores range between 0 - 18 points with higher scores indicating better cognitive function.
Time frame: 12 weeks after the beginning of the intervention
Change in executive functions assessed through Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB)
FAB assesses executive functions such as abstract thinking, mental flexibility, motor programming, interference sensibility, inhibitory control and environmental independence. Scores range between 0 - 18 points with higher scores indicating better cognitive function.
Time frame: 12 weeks after end of intervention
Executive functions assessed through Trail Making Test (TMT)
TMT is one of the most widely used instruments in clinical and experimental neuropsychology. It is very sensitive to identify cognitive impairments, measuring simple motor and spatial skills, basic sequencing skills, mental flexibility, selective attention, visuo-perceptual skills, motor speed, and executive functions. Higher scores indicate greater impairment.
Time frame: baseline
Change in executive functions assessed through Trail Making Test (TMT)
TMT is one of the most widely used instruments in clinical and experimental neuropsychology. It is very sensitive to identify cognitive impairments, measuring simple motor and spatial skills, basic sequencing skills, mental flexibility, selective attention, visuo-perceptual skills, motor speed, and executive functions. Higher scores indicate greater impairment.
Time frame: 12 weeks after the beginning of the intervention
Change in executive functions assessed through Trail Making Test (TMT)
TMT is one of the most widely used instruments in clinical and experimental neuropsychology. It is very sensitive to identify cognitive impairments, measuring simple motor and spatial skills, basic sequencing skills, mental flexibility, selective attention, visuo-perceptual skills, motor speed, and executive functions. Higher scores indicate greater impairment.
Time frame: 12 weeks after end of intervention
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