Individuals with Huntington's Disease have impaired social cognition, which is the domain of cognition that allows individuals to understand others' perspectives so that they can navigate interpersonal actions successfully (e.g., understanding someone may be sad based of their facial emotion or tone of voice and then responding in a sympathetic manner). Impaired social cognition is associated with impaired social functioning, poor psychological wellbeing and increased caregiver burden, which is known to be significant among those who care for individuals with Huntington's Disease. Computerized social cognition training has been shown to improve social cognition in individuals with schizophrenia, who, like individuals with Huntington's disease, have cognitive impairments. The investigators propose a pilot study of computerized social cognition training in individuals with Huntington's disease. This will be a feasibility study that aims to show that social cognition training in HD can be studied in preparation for a larger randomized controlled trial. The investigators hypothesize that social cognition training can improve social cognition, social functioning, and quality of life in individuals with Huntington's Disease and decrease caregiver burden among those who care for individuals with Huntington's Disease.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
Neuroplasticity-based social cognition training that targets a range of social cognition skills, including visual and vocal affect perception, social cue perception, theory of mind, self-referential style, and empathy
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois, United States
RECRUITINGProportion of participants willing to consider study out of those who have been approached
Time frame: 32 months
Number of participants who adhered and completed the study
Time frame: 32 months
Ease of program on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being "very easy."
Time frame: 32 months
Participant satisfaction with the program
This will be a qualitative measure. The study staff will elicit from the participants what they liked about the program, what they did not like about the program, and what they would change about the program if they could.
Time frame: 32 months
Change in accuracy on a facial emotion recognition task
Time frame: 6-12 weeks
Change in accuracy on an empathic accuracy task
Participants view videos of individuals describing significant life events. Throughout the videos the participant are asked questions about the thoughts and feelings of the individual in the video.
Time frame: 6-12 weeks
Change in score on the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities (scores range from 45 to 225; higher score indicates better outcome)
Time frame: 6-12 weeks
Change in score on the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities Questionnaire (scores range from 45 to 225; higher score indicates better outcome)
Time frame: 6-12 weeks
Change in score on the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders Positive Affect and Wellbeing Questionnaire (scores range from 23 to 115; higher score indicates better outcome)
Time frame: 6-12 weeks
Change in score on the Caregiver Burden Inventory (scores range from 0-96; lower score indicates better outcome)
Time frame: 6-12 weeks
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