Neurocognitive Study for the Aging-a Longitudinal Study With a Greek Cypriot Cohort

NCT ID: NCT01481246

Last Updated: 2023-08-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Total Enrollment: 1000 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2009-07-31
• Study Completion Date: 2025-12-31

Brief Summary

The Neurocognitive Study for the Aging (NEUROAGE) was initially funded by the Cyprus Innovation Foundation and has received subsequent funding by the European Union Regional Development Fund. The project focuses on the understanding of the effects of age on neurocognitive abilities such as attention, memory, language, categorization, and executive functioning. In addition, specific arms of the project investigate the effects of a theory-driven hierarchical training program, the Categorization Program, to improve cognitive abilities in adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and of a group intervention program focusing on cognitive and psychosocial abilities. Over 1000 adults ages 40 and older have been recruited in the NEUROAGE project thus far. The grant was awarded to the University of Cyprus, with Professor Fofi Constantinidou as the PI.

Detailed Description

Given the fact that older adults are expected to live longer while maintaining their social and professional activities, the development of effective cognitive retraining methodologies designed to maximize independence has been of interest. In addition to changes caused by the normal aging process, older adults over 65 are at a high risk for developing dementia. About 8-12% of the older adult population will demonstrate a pre-dementia syndrome referred to as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) which is considered a prodrome to dementia. Consequently, it is important to identify variables that contribute to the development of MCI as well as neurocognitive therapy approaches to help patients improve their level of functioning.

Categorization is one of the most fundamental cognitive processes. The ability to divide the world into discrete categories is a rudimentary process beginning early in life and continues to be developed and refined across the lifespan. This underlying process is crucial to a variety of neurocognitive abilities including attention and memory and can influence vocational and educational reintegration. Normal aging results in categorization deficits which in turn can interfere with the individual's ability to attend, remember, and organize information. This difficulty could hamper activities of daily living, social participation, and independence. This project implements an innovative treatment program based on current theoretical models of human cognition designed to improve neurocognitive abilities.

One of the objectives of the project is to provide evidence on the effectiveness of a systematic and hierarchical neurocognitive therapy method, the Categorization Program (CP) in adults with MCI and in normal older adults. It is hypothesized that the CP will be an effective treatment approach to improve categorization abilities in both groups of subjects. In addition, since 2020, we have been implementing a group intervention program as part of our recent funding to investigate its feasibility in healthy older adults and in adults with MCI.

The following activities have been taking place:

1. Initially, a population-based sample of 500 older adults was tested using a battery of neuropsychological measures. Normal older adults are reassessed every two years. Currently, more than 800 healthy adults have been recruited in this project.

2. Second, normal OA and adults with MCI have been randomly assigned into either the treated or untreated groups. The treated groups receive the CP training in order to test its effectiveness.

3. Third, the long term effects of cognitive retraining is being assessed.

4. Finally, the project examines the relationship between the categorization tasks, neuropsychological performance, functional outcome measures, and subject characteristics including health indices, education, and biomarkers. Theoretical constructs such as Cognitive Reserve have been explored as part of this project.

The long-term objective of this research program is to determine variables that influence cognitive decline in older adults and develop effective neurocognitive therapy techniques.

Conditions

Aging; Memory Impairment; Cognitive Decline; Mild Cognitive Disorder

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Normal Aging/Cognitive Decline

Health adults as well as adults with MCI and early stage AD are being recruited in the study

Categorization training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Behavioral intervention consisting of cognitive training exercises to improve categorization performance

Psychosocial and Psychoeducational Group training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Group treatment with a focus on psychosocial and psychoeducational intervention in healthy adults and in adults with cognitive decline. Ten week cycle, 2 hours per week group intervention study.

Interventions

Categorization training

Behavioral intervention consisting of cognitive training exercises to improve categorization performance

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Psychosocial and Psychoeducational Group training

Group treatment with a focus on psychosocial and psychoeducational intervention in healthy adults and in adults with cognitive decline. Ten week cycle, 2 hours per week group intervention study.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• healthy with no prior neurological history

Exclusion Criteria

• prior neurological history or significant psychiatric history

• Minimum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 90 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of Cyprus

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Fofi Constantinidou

Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Fofi Constantinidou, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Cyprus

Locations

University of Cyprus

Nicosia, , Cyprus

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Cyprus

Central Contacts

Fofi Constantinidou, Ph.D.

Role: CONTACT

fofic@ucy.ac.cy

35722892078

Facility Contacts

Fofi Constantinidou, Ph.D.

Role: primary

fofic@ucy.ac.cy

35722894437

References

Chadjikyprianou A, Constantinidou F. Effectiveness of a Novel Multidimensional Group Intervention to Enhance Subjective Cognitive and Psychosocial Functioning in Healthy Older Adults. J Aging Health. 2025 Oct 24:8982643251391224. doi: 10.1177/08982643251391224. Online ahead of print.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 41135181 (View on PubMed)

Chadjikyprianou A, Constantinidou F. A new multidimensional group intervention for cognitive and psychosocial functioning for older adults: Background, content, and process evaluation. Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 Apr 20;10:1161060. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1161060. eCollection 2023.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 37153102 (View on PubMed)

Related Links

http://www.cancyprus.org

Center for Applied Neuroscience

Other Identifiers

Humanities/Society/0308(ΒΕ)/07

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

SKEPSH

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

EXCELLENCE/1216/0404

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

Humanities/Society/0308(ΒΕ)/07

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id