The Role of GABA-mediated Inhibition in Multisensory Temporal Processing & Postural Control in Older Adults

NCT03328455 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 1086690
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

In recent years evidence has accumulated on the association between age-related decline in multisensory temporal processing and postural control. This proposed project aims at examining GABA-mediated inhibition as the potential mechanism behind this link. Our overarching hypothesis is that changes in the excitatory-inhibitory balance with a reduction of GABAergic inhibition is a common mechanism underlying age-related multisensory and postural deficits potentially mediated by age-related reduction in network segregation. To test this hypothesis, we will assess the relationship between age-related multisensory/postural deficits and age-related reduction in GABA concentration in related brain areas and probe the role of GABA-mediated inhibition using cognitive training that specifically targets inhibitory functions. Our multimodal approach is innovative, and findings from this study has the potential to lead to the development of safe and effective rehabilitation protocols for older adults with impaired multisensory temporal integration and postural control.

Conditions

Healthy Aging

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (8)

• Multisensory temporal processing performance change

  Change from pre-training performance

  At the end of 20-day training

• Multisensory temporal processing performance change maintenance

  Change from pre-training performance

  30 days after training

• Postural control and gait performance change

  Change from pre-training performance

  At the end of 20-day training

• Postural control and gait performance change maintenance

  Change from pre-training performance

  30 days after training

• Brain GABA level change

  Change from pre-training level

  At the end of 20-day training

• Brain GABA level change maintenance

  Change from pre-training level

  30 days after training

• Resting-state network segregation change

  Change from pre-training level

  At the end of 20-day training

• Resting-state network segregation change maintenance

  Change from pre-training level

  30 days after training

Study Arms (2)

Inhibitory control training

EXPERIMENTAL

In the inhibitory control training condition, participants will be trained with tasks that involve both response withholding and rule switching. For example, participants will sort polygons based on features (e.g., shape or color) and will be asked to either provide or withhold sorting responses when presented with different cues. Rule-switching is introduced when participants must inhibit the "rule" used in the previous trial set and change the focus of their attention to a new sorting and/or inhibitory rule. Task difficulty will progressively increase over the course of training based on participants' abilities.

Behavioral: Inhibitory control training

knowledge-based training

SHAM COMPARATOR

The knowledge-based training condition serves as the control, in which participants will be presented with questions from different categories such as vocabulary, science, or geography and asked to select the correct answer from 4 alternatives within a certain time limit. Task difficulty will progressively increase over the course of training based on participants' abilities.

Behavioral: Knowledge-based training

Interventions

Inhibitory control training BEHAVIORAL

Cognitive training is inhibitory task-related.

Inhibitory control training

Knowledge-based training BEHAVIORAL

Training is not inhibitory task-related.

knowledge-based training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 80 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age between 65 and 80 (elderly group) and between 20 and 35 (young group)

You may not qualify if:

• History of epilepsy, stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder
• History of head injury with loss of consciousness, brain surgery, or psychiatric disorders
• Early dementia or cognitive impairment
• Serious vision problems (including best-corrected binocular visual acuity worse than 20/25)
• Uncorrected hearing problems (pure tone threshold \> 40 dB for 1000-2000 Hz)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Nevada, Reno: lead

Study Officials

• Fang Jiang, Ph.D

  University of Nevada, Reno

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Fang Jiang, Ph.D

CONTACT

775-682-8606; fangj@unr.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: 50 elderly participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two training groups but will not be told whether they are in the inhibitory control (experiment) or knowledge-based (control) training group.
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate professor

Model Details: 50 elderly participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two training groups and will be asked to undergo 20 days of training (\~30 mins/day).

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 18, 2017
• First Posted: November 1, 2017
• Study Start (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2030
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2031
• Last Updated: May 1, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ANALYTIC CODE
• Time Frame: Starting 1 year after publication
• Access Criteria: Data will be shared upon request and for research purpose only.