Social Cognition Training in Individuals With Huntington's Disease

NCT06828471 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 24112605
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Huntington's Disease (HD)

Keywords

Huntington's Disease; Social Cognition; Caregiver Burden

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Proportion of participants willing to consider study out of those who have been approached

  32 months

• Number of participants who adhered and completed the study

  32 months

• Ease of program on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being "very easy."

  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.

  32 months

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Change in accuracy on a facial emotion recognition task

  6-12 weeks

• Change in accuracy on an empathic accuracy task

  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)

  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)

  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)

  6-12 weeks

Study Arms (1)

Social Cognition Training Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Social Cognition Training

Interventions

Social Cognition Training BEHAVIORAL

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

Social Cognition Training Group

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Diagnosed with Huntington's Disease based on genetic testing
• Must be between 18 and 65 years of age
• Native English speaker who is literate in English
• Stable psychotropic medication regimen for 4 weeks
• Must have a score of "somewhat easily" on all items in the CPQ-12
• MOCA \>18
• Completed 12 years of schooling
• Access to laptop or mobile device
• Willingness to come in person 6-12 weeks after first visit
• Lives with patient
• Must be between 18 and 65 years of age
• Native English speaker who is literate in English
• MOCA \>26
• Willingness to come in person within 6-12 weeks after first visit

You may not qualify if:

• Any known neurological condition (other than Huntington's Disease).
• History of learning and/or intellectual disabilities
• Currently actively involved in any other interventional trial (i.e. have begun the intervention) or within 4 weeks of completing the final assessments of an interventional trial.
• Currently regularly completing a computerized cognitive training intervention.
• Active suicidal ideation with some intent
• Inability to provide informed consent
• Active suicidal ideation with some intent

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Rush University Medical Center: lead

Study Sites (1)

Rush University Medical Center

Chicago, Illinois, 60612, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Caregiver Burden

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Stress, Psychological; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Tyler Svymbersky

CONTACT

312-563-0676; Tyler_Svymbersky@rush.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor in Neurological Sciences and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 11, 2025
• First Posted: February 14, 2025
• Study Start: November 15, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 15, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 15, 2028
• Last Updated: December 10, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-12

Locations

US (1)