Virtual Reality in Cognitive Stimulation Therapy for Visually Impaired Older Individuals with Dementia

NCT06793384 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: EA240610
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 31
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Both visual impairment and dementia are prevalent in the elderly population. Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) is an evidence-based intervention for people with mild-to-moderate dementia. Virtual reality (VR) has been used in cognitive rehabilitation. However, the efficacy of CST and the feasibility of incorporating VR into therapy targeting people with dementia and visual impairment (PwDVI) have rarely been explored. The current pilot study addressed two issues: 1) To study the efficacy of conventional CST on PwDVI in different cognitive domains and 2) To explore the feasibility and efficacy of VR-CST on PwDVI in various cognitive domains.

Conditions

Dementia Patients

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• The Hong Kong version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment for the Visually Impaired (HKMoCA-VI)

  It is a standarized assessment for global cognition for people with visual impairment.

  The assessment was administered three times 15 days before and after treatment.

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Holden Communication Scale

  It was administered once one week before and after the intervention.

• Cantonese version of the Amsterdam-Nijmegan Everyday Language Test (CANELT)

  Three times 15 days before and after treatment

• Procedural description of making a ham-and-egg sandwich

  The assessment was administered three times 15 days before and after treatment.

• Synonym judgement

  The assessment was administered three times 15 days before and after treatment.

Study Arms (2)

Conventional CST group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

A total 14 sessions of conventional cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) with different themes were delivered twice a week to patients with dementia in groups of four to five. Therapy materials included real objects, pictures and videos presented via iPADs where users can enlarge the images manually or under facilitator's assistancd.

Behavioral: Conventional Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (Conventional CST)

VR-CST

EXPERIMENTAL

A total of 14 sessions of virtual reality cognitive stimulation therapy (VR-CST) with different themes were delivered twice a week to patients with dementia in groups of four to five. In the VR-CST condition, participants wore a head-mounted display (HMD; model: DPVR P1 Pro Headset) for the themed activities in every session except sessions 1 and 14. In these two sessions, group physical activities (such as passing a ball from one participant to another) were conducted, so no HMDs were used. In other sessions, panoramic images (e.g., wet market) and videos (e.g., the neighborhood surroundings) prepared by the project team were mainly used, supplemented by 2-dimensional images /videos in which preparing panoramic images/videos was deemed impossible.

Behavioral: Virtual reality based Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (VR-CST)

Interventions

Virtual reality based Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (VR-CST) BEHAVIORAL

In the VR-CST condition, participants wore a head-mounted display (HMD; model: DPVR P1 Pro Headset) for the themed activities in every session except sessions 1 and 14. In these two sessions, group physical activities (such as passing a ball from one participant to another) were conducted, so no HMDs were used. In other sessions, panoramic images (e.g., wet market) and videos (e.g., the neighborhood surroundings) prepared by the project team were mainly used, supplemented by 2-dimensional images /videos in which preparing panoramic images/videos was deemed impossible. Such a situation occurred in Session 5 (current affairs), in which news clips or captions from newspaper websites served as more appropriate content for discussion than self-created panoramic images/videos.

VR-CST

Conventional Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (Conventional CST) BEHAVIORAL

In the conventional CST group, 2-dimensional images/videos illustrating content identical to the VR-CST condition were displayed via tablet computers (see Table 2 for details) in which participants could manipulate the size of the image depicted or the pace of the videos with the help of the facilitator/therapy assistant.

Conventional CST group

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Cantonese speakers;
• suspected or having a medical diagnosis of dementia, with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment 5-minute protocol (MoCA-5) score ranging from 2 to 17, which is equal to the Cantonese Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ranging from 10 to 24 by using the conversion table from Wong et al,
• a diagnosis of mild to moderate visual impairment determined by an optometrist,
• no other disability including physical illness, learning disability and severe hearing impairment that may affect participation in group activity,
• not currently on psychiatric medication/cognitive intervention, (6) no history of other neurological diseases, and
• (7) did not receive any prior CST.

You may not qualify if:

• currently on psychiatric medication/cognitive intervention, (6) no history of other neurological diseases,
• currently on psychiatric medication/cognitive intervention, (6) no history of other neurological diseases,
• prior exposure to CST

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: lead
• The University of Hong Kong: collaborator
• The Hong Kong Society for the Blind: collaborator
• Tung Wah College: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

The Hong Kong Society for the Blind

Hong Kong, 000000, Hong Kong

Location

Study Design

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

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 20, 2025
• First Posted: January 27, 2025
• Study Start: September 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: February 28, 2020
• Study Completion: May 31, 2020
• Last Updated: January 27, 2025

Record last verified: 2024-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: ICF
• Time Frame: From Feb 2025 to Jan 2034
• Access Criteria: There is no restriction to access.

Locations

HK (1)