WHO: 24 participants with cognitive deficits due to a Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, able to engage in moderate physical activity. WHY: The Human Immunodeficiency Virus is known to cause deficits in cognitive function, even under effective pharmacological viral load suppression. Cognitive dysfunction in patients with HIV is frequent and has a detrimental impact on their everyday personal and professional life. The purpose of this study is to evaluate two sets of computerized exercises combining cognitive and physical effort to see if they can improve executive function in patients with an HIV infection. WHAT: Study participants first undergo cognitive and physical assessments. Additional questionnaires will assess mood, everyday life cognition, function and quality. This will be followed by a 6 week training period with 2 training sessions a week. The effect of the physical and cognitive training will be measured in a post-training evaluation session. Six months after completion of the training, the study will evaluate cognitive and physical abilities of participants to study long-term effects of the respective training program. WHERE: Both the evaluation and the training sessions will be conducted on the premises of the Lausanne University Hospital (Rue du Bugnon 46, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland)
This is an exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial with the purpose of evaluating the potential of two sets of gamified cognitive and physical exercises in the neurorehabilitation of cognitive deficits due to an infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Upon recruitment, eligible study participants (see 'Eligibility Criteria') receive a detailed oral and written description about the scientific background, aims and methods of the study. Additional information will be provided about potential benefits and risks associated with study participation, as well as about the voluntary nature of participation throughout the study. The participant's written informed consent is required for study enrollment. After inclusion in the study, participants are randomized into one of two different training programs with equal chance of attribution and without possibility of choosing: * Program 1 involves brain training and guided, light physical exercise games on a tablet device. The exercise involves movements such as reaching, stepping, and stretching. Warm-up and cool down sessions are mandated prior to and following the tasks. * Program 2 involves gamified exercises displayed on a large screen. Participants use whole-body movements to complete the tasks. Tasks involve movements such as reaching, stepping, and jogging in place. These movements are tracked by a motion sensor. Warm-up and cool down sessions are mandated prior to and following the training sessions. Independently of program attribution, participants engage in a pre-training assessment, a six-week training period, a post-training assessment and a 6-month-follow-up assessment. Before the start of the training, participants are required to perform several cognitive and physical tests (including cyclo-ergospirometry) and fill out a number of questionnaires on subjective cognitive function, mood and quality of life. Additionally, an electroencephalography (EEG) will be performed to measure brain activity. The exercises, the questionnaires and the EEG serve as a baseline evaluation of cognitive, physical and neurophysiological function. Following the first assessment, study participants engage in a six-week training period. In both programs, participants engage in two weekly trainings of ninety minutes duration each. After completion of the training period, study participants engage in a post-training assessment to evaluate the effect of training on cognitive and physical performance. This session incorporates the same tasks and questionnaires as in the pre-training visit. An EEG will be used to characterize the training effects on dynamics of the underlying large-scale neuronal networks. The aim of the post-training assessment is to demonstrate immediate training effect of the two programs. A final follow-up visit is scheduled 6 months after the completion of the last training session. The cognitive and physical testing together with the questionnaires and the EEG will be repeated to examine the long-term effects of the training programs.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
24
Brain training games displayed on a large screen paired with physical exercise component. The program involves movements such as reaching, stepping, or stretching in place.
Brain training games displayed on a tablet device paired with physical exercise component. The program involves movements such as reaching, stepping, or stretching.
Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV)
Lausanne, Canton of Vaud, Switzerland
Change in subjective everyday life cognition after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Subjective executive function is measured by the Working Memory Questionnaire (WMQ), a 30-item, self-administered scale (score range from 0 to 120), addressing working memory (10 items), attention (10 items) and general executive function (10 items). The higher the score, the more it reflects cognitive difficulties.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in speed of information processing after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training
Measured by the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), scored from 0 to 110. The lower the score, the more it reflects cognitive difficulties.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in cognitive flexibility after a 6 weeks period of cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Measured by the time completion of the Color Trails Test (CTT) in CTT1 and CTT2 (i.e., Flexibility Index: (CTT2-CTT1)/CTT1). The higher the Flexibility Index, the more it reflects cognitive difficulties.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in visuospatial short-term memory after a 6 weeks period of cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Measured by the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R), scored from 0 to 36. The lower the score, the more it reflects cognitive difficulties.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in sustained attention after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Measured with the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) using the reaction time (RT) and the false alarm rate (FA). The higher the RT and FA, the more they reflect cognitive difficulties.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in cognitive interference after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Measured with the Denis-Kaplan Color-Word interference Stroop test using the time completion in each condition. The higher the time completion, the more it reflects cognitive difficulties.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in design fluency after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
The Five-Point Test will be used to assess design fluency using the total number of design produced. The lower the score, the more it reflects cognitive difficulties.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in cognitive flexibility after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
A subtest of a custom-made tablet-based cognitive evaluation tool will measure cognitive flexibility.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in visuo-spatial and verbal working memory control after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Measured using the Digit and Visuo-Spatial Span Test
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in divided attention after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Measured using the Test of Attentional Performance subtest Divided Attention
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in body composition (body fat and muscle mass) after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Body composition will be measured by bioelectrical impedance measure using the percentage of body fat and muscle mass.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in risk of falls after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Risk of falls will be assessed using the BTrackS Balance Plate (FDA registered class 1 medical device #3010668481).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in limits of postural stability after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Limits of postural will be assessed using the BTrackS Balance Plate (FDA registered class 1 medical device #3010668481).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in dynamic stability after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Dynamic stability will be assessed by the Four Square Step Test, which tests the participant's ability to step over objects forwards, sideways and backwards; the movements of the FSST are comparable to the ones implemented in the training program. The score is based on time taken to complete the test. The higher the score, the more it reflects balance difficulties.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in ability to perform a cognitive and physical dual task after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
In order to assess cognitive and motor dual task ability, the study participant will perform the Timed Up and Go Cognitive. The score is based on time taken to complete the test and errors or hesitations. The higher the score, the more it reflects cognitive difficulties.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in heart rate variability after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Heart rate and heart rate variability will be recorded at rest in supine position during a 5-minute window using a medical electrocardiogramm (ECG).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Determined by the mean of three blood pressure measurements using a sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in anxiety after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Anxiety will be assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; 20 items) in French, scored from 20 to 80. The higher the score, the higher the level of anxiety.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in mood after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Mood will be assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression (CES-D; 20 items) in French, scored from 0 to 60. The higher the score, the higher the level of depression.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in everyday life activity / quality of life after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training
Specifically developped for patients with an HIV infection, the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV; 35 items) will be used to assess everyday life activities and health-related quality of life. The score ranges from 0 to 100. The lower the score, the poorer the quality of life.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in everyday life cognition after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Everyday life cognition will be assessed using the Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ; 32 items). The score ranges from 0 to 128. The higher the score, the more it reflects cognitive difficulties.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in fatigue after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Study participants will rate their degree of physical, cognitive and psychosocial fatigue on the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS; 21 items). The score ranges from 0 to 84. The higher the score, the greater the level of fatigue.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in apathy after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Using the self-administred Dimensional Apathy Scale (DAS; 24 items), study participants will rate their degree of apathy. The score ranges from 0 to 96. The higher the score, the greater the level of apathy.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in alcohol and other substance consumption after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
The habits in the consumption of alcohol and other substances will be evaluated with an adapted version of the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST; 8 items; Khan et al, 2011).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Development of medication intake over the course of study participation.
Participants' medication intake over the course of the study will be recorded in the register of an ongoing prospective, longitudinal and multicenter study, called the Neurocognitive Assessment in the Metabolic and Aging Cohort study (NAMACO).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Development of professional occupation/employment rate over the course of study participation.
Participants' professional occupation/employment rate over the course of the study will be recorded in the register of an ongoing prospective, longitudinal and multicenter study, called the Neurocognitive Assessment in the Metabolic and Aging Cohort study (NAMACO). The employment rate will be measured in full-time equivalent, ranging from 0 to 100 %. The higher the employment rate, the better.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Development of self-reported activity profile over the course of study participation.
Participants' self-reported activity profile over the course of the study will be recorded in the register of an ongoing prospective, longitudinal and multicenter study, called the Neurocognitive Assessment in the Metabolic and Aging Cohort study (NAMACO).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in the theta power frequency band over the frontal brain region (Anguera et al., 2022) after a 6-week period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Measured with an electroencephalogram (EEG) during the Test of Variable of Attention (TOVA).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in the latency of the P3b (Event-Related Potential; Anguera et al., 2013) after a 6-week period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Measured with an electroencephalogram (EEG) during the TOVA.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in the temporal dynamic of the resting brain activity (microstates analysis; Michel and Koenig, 2018; Spring et al, 2017) after a 6-week period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Measured with an electroencephalogram (EEG) during the resting state
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) after a 6-week period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Measured by a forced exhalation in the first second of a breath into a spirometer.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in maximal pulmonary capacity (measured in liters) after a 6-week period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Measured by a forced exhalation into a spirometer.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in peak oxygen capacity (VO2 peak) after a 6-week period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
Measure using a standardized maximal effort test with incremental exercise on a cycling ergometer with gas exchange analyses.
Time frame: 6 weeks
Change in VO2 at anaerobic threshold after a 6 weeks period of gamified cognitive and physical training (program 1 vs program 2)
VO2 at anaerobic threshold will be determined using a cyclo-ergospirometry.
Time frame: 6 weeks
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