Internet-based Conversational Engagement Clinical Trial

Summary

The study aims to randomize 320 (160 Caucasian, 160 African American) socially isolated adults 75+ years old (50:50 split between those with normal cognition and mild cognitive impairment (MCI)) recruited from the community to either the Video Chat Group or the Control Group. The participants in the Video Chat Group will receive a computer and internet service for the duration of the study, which they will use to video chat with study staff for 30 minutes/day 4x/week for 6 months (high dose), and then 2x/week for an additional 6 months (maintenance dose). The efficacy examination of the maintenance dose is limited to an exploratory aim. Both intervention and control groups will have a brief (about 10 minutes) telephone check-in with study staff once per week. In-home testing will occur at Baseline and 6 months. A sub-sample of participants\*\* will be assessed at 12 months (exploratory) after additional 6 months of maintenance dose. All participants at OHSU will have their medication compliance tracked using an electronic medication monitoring device and participants at both OHSU and UM will have MRIs at Baseline and 6 months, if they are able to safely receive MRIs. Participants at both sites will contribute saliva for genetic testing (optional consent), and all video chat and neuropsychological assessment sessions will be recorded for speech and language analysis (consent required for participation).

Conditions

• Aging
• Mild Cognitive Impairment

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Conversational Engagement

Examine whether increasing social interaction through face-to-face (video chat) conversations could improve cognitive function and whether the efficacy is mediated by improved psychological well-being, targeting older adults aged 75 and older who are socially isolated

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Michigan

  collaborator OTHER

• National Institute on Aging (NIA)

  collaborator NIH

• Wayne State University

  collaborator OTHER

• Oregon Health and Science University

  collaborator OTHER

• Massachusetts General Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Hiroko Dodge, PhD · Oregon Health and Science Univeristy

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

75 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-06-01

Primary Completion

2021-08-31

Completion

2021-08-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations