NCT06281652

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial\]is to evaluate if learning to play traditional board games could improve cognition in subjects with mild cognitive impairment and subjective cognitive decline. The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • Do Go and Chess improve cognition?
  • Is a game better than the other? Is the effect of both games on cognition synergistic?
  • Do Go and Chess improve quality of life?
  • Do Go and Chess improve mood?
  • Do Go and Chess improve lifestyle? Participants will be randomized to one of four groups:
  • Group intervention with Go, once a week, for 12 weeks
  • Group intervention with Chess, once a week, for 12 weeks
  • Group intervention with Go and Chess, twice a week, for 12 weeks
  • Control group

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
80

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Feb 2024

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

February 13, 2024

Completed
6 days until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

February 19, 2024

Completed
9 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

February 28, 2024

Completed
12 months until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

February 13, 2025

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

February 13, 2025

Completed
Last Updated

March 25, 2026

Status Verified

February 1, 2024

Enrollment Period

1 year

First QC Date

February 19, 2024

Last Update Submit

March 23, 2026

Conditions

Mild Cognitive ImpairmentSubjective Cognitive Decline

Keywords

Subjective Cognitive DeclineMild Cognitive ImpairmentCognitive enhancementBoard games

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • General cognition

    Differences in Montreal Cognitive Assessment between groups \[continuous scale, 0-30, higher scores indicate better performances\]

    12 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (8)

  • Digit Span Forward

    12 weeks

  • Digit Span Backwards

    12 weeks

  • Trail Making Test - part A

    12 weeks

  • Trail Making Test - part B

    12 weeks

  • Semantic fluency

    12 weeks

  • +3 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (4)

Go classes

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects randomized to a group intervention with Go lessons once a week for 12 weeks

Other: Go classes

Chess classes

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects randomized to a group intervention with Chess lessons once a week for 12 weeks

Other: Chess classes

Go & Chess classes

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects randomized to a group intervention with Go and Chess lessons twice a week for 12 weeks

Other: Go classesOther: Chess classes

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Subjects randomized to no intervention for 12 weeks

Interventions

Go classesOTHER

Classes of board games (Go), performed in groups of 6-10 subjects, once a week

Go & Chess classesGo classes
Chess classesOTHER

Classes of board games (Chess), performed in groups of 6-10 subjects, once a week

Chess classesGo & Chess classes

Eligibility Criteria

Age55 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or subjective cognitive decline
  • Willingness to participate in the board games classes
  • Living within 20-minute driving distance from the center
  • Signed informed consent

You may not qualify if:

  • Prior knowledge of the the game rules (in case the subject knows one of the two, they can be randomized to the other one)
  • Significant linguistic or sensory impairment (according to clinical judgment)
  • Significant behavioral or psychiatric disturbances (according to clinical judgment)
  • Significant medical comorbidities (according to clinical judgment)

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori

Monza, Lombardy, 20900, Italy

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Pozzi FE, Spanio A, Gallo F, Isgro G, Remoli G, Magi A, Moscatelli E, Crisci E, Negro G, Appollonio I, Ferrarese C, Tremolizzo L. Cognitive and social intervention with Go and chess in early and subjective cognitive decline: The COGniChESs study results, with an updated meta-analysis. J Alzheimers Dis. 2026 Jan;109(2):747-756. doi: 10.1177/13872877251401481. Epub 2025 Dec 4.

    PMID: 41342683RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Cognitive Dysfunction

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Cognition DisordersNeurocognitive DisordersMental Disorders

Study Officials

  • Lucio Tremolizzo, MD, PhD

    Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
OTHER
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

February 19, 2024

First Posted

February 28, 2024

Study Start

February 13, 2024

Primary Completion

February 13, 2025

Study Completion

February 13, 2025

Last Updated

March 25, 2026

Record last verified: 2024-02

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations

IT(1)