Calligraphy Writing for Cognitive and Emotional Enhancement Among Older MCI People

NCT02755792 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: Calligraphy-MCI
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 99
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study is aimed to investigate the efficacy of an 12-week Chinese calligraphy training program for enhancing cognitive and emotional functions of older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Participants are tested with several cognitive tests and electroencephalography (EEG), psycho-physical parameters and brain activities are recorded. Results are compared at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 6-month post-intervention to provide evidence of benefits of Chinese calligraphy practice.

Conditions

Mild Cognitive Impairment

Keywords

Mild Cognitive Impairment; Cognitive training; Calligraphy; Emotional calmness; Working memory

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Digit span backward test (DSB) from baseline, after end of training, and 6-month follow-up.

  DSB evaluates working memory, which requires recalling digits in reverse order. The DSB test is structured with increased levels of difficulty.

  Baseline, within 2 weeks after end of training, and 6-month follow-up.

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Color Trails Test (CTT)

  Baseline, within 2 weeks after end of training, and 6-month follow-up.

• Symbol-digit Modalities Test (SDMT)

  Baseline, within 2 weeks after end of training, and 6-month follow-up.

• Heart rate and heart rate variability.

  At the week 1, 5, 9, 12 during the intervention period, and at 6-month post-intervention.

• Blood pressure.

  At the week 1, 5, 9, 12 during the intervention period, and at 6-month post-intervention.

• Geriatric Depression Scale - Short Form (GDS-SF)

  Baseline, within 2 weeks after end of training, and 6-month post-intervention.

Study Arms (2)

Calligraphy Training

EXPERIMENTAL

This group receives a Chinese calligraphy training program of 16 sessions over 8 weeks in a class of 8-12 participants. Each session is 1.5 hours.

Behavioral: Calligraphy Training

iPad Training

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

This group receives an iPad training program of 16 sessions over 8 weeks in a class of 8-12 participants. Each session is 1.5 hours.

Behavioral: iPad Training

Interventions

Calligraphy Training BEHAVIORAL

Calligraphy Training

iPad Training BEHAVIORAL

iPad Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 60 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Meeting Petersen's criteria for mild cognitive impairment
• Being able to read simple Chinese characters
• Community-dwelling
• Clinical Dementia Rating score of 0.5
• No substantial prior experience of calligraphy writing
• Willing to write using a brush and willing to participate

You may not qualify if:

• Presence of musculoskeletal problems preventing participants from writing
• Known chronic cardiovascular (e.g. systolic BP \> 140mmHg) or pulmonary conditions requiring long-term medication
• Presence of severe mental disorder such as psychosis or depression.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: lead

Study Sites (1)

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Location

Related Publications (6)

• Gauthier S, Reisberg B, Zaudig M, Petersen RC, Ritchie K, Broich K, Belleville S, Brodaty H, Bennett D, Chertkow H, Cummings JL, de Leon M, Feldman H, Ganguli M, Hampel H, Scheltens P, Tierney MC, Whitehouse P, Winblad B; International Psychogeriatric Association Expert Conference on mild cognitive impairment. Mild cognitive impairment. Lancet. 2006 Apr 15;367(9518):1262-70. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68542-5.

  PMID: 16631882 BACKGROUND

• Belleville S, Chertkow H, Gauthier S. Working memory and control of attention in persons with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. Neuropsychology. 2007 Jul;21(4):458-69. doi: 10.1037/0894-4105.21.4.458.

  PMID: 17605579 BACKGROUND

• Boyle PA, Malloy PF, Salloway S, Cahn-Weiner DA, Cohen R, Cummings JL. Executive dysfunction and apathy predict functional impairment in Alzheimer disease. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2003 Mar-Apr;11(2):214-21.

  PMID: 12611751 BACKGROUND

• Chan WC, Lam LC, Tam CW, Lui VW, Chan SS, Chan WM, Chiu HF. Prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in chinese older persons with mild cognitive impairment-a population-based study. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2010 Oct;18(10):948-54. doi: 10.1097/JGP.0b013e3181d69467.

  PMID: 20808089 BACKGROUND

• Wilson RS, Scherr PA, Schneider JA, Tang Y, Bennett DA. Relation of cognitive activity to risk of developing Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2007 Nov 13;69(20):1911-20. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000271087.67782.cb. Epub 2007 Jun 27.

  PMID: 17596582 BACKGROUND

• Belleville S, Gilbert B, Fontaine F, Gagnon L, Menard E, Gauthier S. Improvement of episodic memory in persons with mild cognitive impairment and healthy older adults: evidence from a cognitive intervention program. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2006;22(5-6):486-99. doi: 10.1159/000096316. Epub 2006 Oct 16.

  PMID: 17050952 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Cognitive Dysfunction

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Cognition Disorders; Neurocognitive Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Chetwyn CH Chan, PhD

  The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Vice President (Learning and Teaching) and Chair Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 22, 2016
• First Posted: April 29, 2016
• Study Start: July 1, 2012
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2015
• Study Completion: April 1, 2016
• Last Updated: April 29, 2016

Record last verified: 2016-04

Locations

HK (1)