Remotely Deployed TBI Study

NCT ID: NCT01882244

Last Updated: 2018-05-29

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

85 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2013-06-30

Study Completion Date

2019-09-30

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

Injury to the brain can change the core of a person's being, affecting brain functions necessary to accomplish important goals in a complex world. Deficits in attention, working memory, and other aspects of goal-directed cognition affect a broad range of pursuits in everyday life, and are among the most prevalent and long-lasting consequences of brain injuries. The objective of this research is to develop remotely deployed training tools that target the most common, persistent and debilitating cognitive functions affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI); test the potential effects of the intervention and compare these effects to an active comparison intervention; and determine the neurocognitive and functional effects of computer-assisted remote training.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

The objective of this research is to develop remotely deployed computer-assisted training interventions, including software tools and training protocols, to address cognitive neurologic impairment associated with TBI, improving cognitive functioning and thus increasing quality of life. These tools will be built on a strong foundation of cognitive neuroscience, empiric evidence and advanced clinical care, while addressing practical issues such as distance and therapist/patient time limitations. This research involves two phases: User testing and Assessment/Training.

Assessment and Training Assessments: The potential effects of remotely administered training will be assessed using neuropsychological tests of complex attention, executive function and memory, a test of functioning in challenging real world situations involving multitasking and goal management, and questionnaires assessing cognitive and emotional functioning in personal life.

Neurocognitive testing and functional evaluation sessions take 2- 3 hours each, or about 5 hours combined. The subject is free to take breaks throughout testing sessions, which will take place over one or two days. Subjects participate in assessments up to four times (Baseline, after 6-8 weeks; 12-16 weeks; and at 18-24 weeks), or up to 20 hours (5 hours x 4 time points). The investigators anticipate about 30 subjects will participate in assessments and training.

Experimental Intervention I: The Pathfinder training protocol will include supervised attentional regulation training sessions, either in-person or via the VA's video tele-health (VTEL) system, and home play of a computer game. Trainers will also call subjects between each supervised session to (i) check that patients are initiating home play (and help problem-solve or provide motivation, if necessary), and (ii) encourage transfer and generalization of learning, as per protocol. Home play will be configured to allow for about 35 minutes of play each day between supervised sessions. After the end of home game play, some additional time will be allowed for continued practice and application of trained skills in personal life.

Experimental Intervention II: Brain Health Education will consist of training sessions, either in-person or via the VA's video tele-health (VTEL) system, and home play of a computer game. The Brain Health Education protocol will be based on a curriculum already developed, designed to facilitate learning of TBI-relevant information. Trainers will also call subjects between each supervised session to (i) check that patients are initiating home play (and help problem-solve or provide motivation, if necessary). Home play will be configured to allow for about 35 minutes of play each day between supervised sessions. After the end of home game play, some additional time will be allowed for continued practice and review of TBI-relevant information.

Subjects will participate in either one or both experimental interventions, which are matched for time commitment. Participation in interventions will include weekly in-person or remote 1-2 hour sessions with a trainer over a period of 6-16 weeks. In addition to weekly training sessions, study activities will include about 15 minutes of weekly telephone contact with the trainer and about 35 minutes a day of playing a computerized game at home during the same period. Therefore, total training time range is approximately 43-93 hours, depending on whether participation includes one or both interventions.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Brain Injury

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Neural Pathfinder Training

Neural Pathfinder training (PATH) will involve 6-8 weeks of training sessions with a trainer (1-2 hour sessions, average of 1 session per week), up to 3 hours of telephone contact with the trainer (about 15 minutes per week), and approximately 20 hours of home practice). Some subjects will only receive the PATH intervention.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Neural Pathfinder Training

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Neural Pathfinder Training consists of game-based computerized training tools that target goal-directed attention regulation. Training will involve 6-8 weeks of 1-2 hour in-person or remote sessions with a trainer involving an average of one session per week; about 15 minutes a week of telephone contacts with the trainer; and approximately 20 hours of homework (35 minutes/5 days a week), consisting of short attentional regulation practice and computer-assisted cognitive training game play.

Brain Health Education

Brain Health Education (EDU) will involve 6-8 weeks of training sessions with a trainer (1-2 hour sessions, average of 1 session per week), up to 3 hours of telephone contact with the trainer (about 15 minutes per week), and approximately 20 hours of home practice). Some subjects will only receive the EDU intervention. Some subjects will receive both the PATH and EDU interventions.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Brain Health Education

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Brain Health Education (EDU) will involve 6-8 weeks of 1-2 hour in-person or remote sessions covering brain anatomy and health with a trainer involving an average of one session per week; about 15 minutes a week of telephone contacts with the trainer; and approximately 20 hours of homework (35 minutes/5 days a week), consisting of computer game play involving decision-making and motor skills.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Neural Pathfinder Training

Neural Pathfinder Training consists of game-based computerized training tools that target goal-directed attention regulation. Training will involve 6-8 weeks of 1-2 hour in-person or remote sessions with a trainer involving an average of one session per week; about 15 minutes a week of telephone contacts with the trainer; and approximately 20 hours of homework (35 minutes/5 days a week), consisting of short attentional regulation practice and computer-assisted cognitive training game play.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Brain Health Education

Brain Health Education (EDU) will involve 6-8 weeks of 1-2 hour in-person or remote sessions covering brain anatomy and health with a trainer involving an average of one session per week; about 15 minutes a week of telephone contacts with the trainer; and approximately 20 hours of homework (35 minutes/5 days a week), consisting of computer game play involving decision-making and motor skills.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Veterans with a history of traumatic brain injury
* Age 24-65
* Mild residual dysfunction in executive control
* In the chronic, stable phase of recovery (\>6 months from injury)
* On stable psychoactive medications (\> 30 days)
* Able and willing to participate in training and assessments.

Exclusion Criteria

* Unstable medical, neurologic or psychiatric conditions
* Severe cognitive dysfunction
* Ongoing illicit drug or alcohol abuse
* Severe depression, severe anxiety or severe PTSD precluding participation
* Poor English comprehension.
Minimum Eligible Age

24 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

United States Department of Defense

FED

Sponsor Role collaborator

VA Northern California Health Care System

FED

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Anthony J-W Chen, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

San Francisco VA Medical Center

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

VA Northern California Health Care System

Martinez, California, United States

Site Status

San Francisco VA Medical Center

San Francisco, California, United States

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

RD2013-04-17

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.