Assessment of Apathy in a Real-life Situation, With a Video and Sensors-based System

NCT ID: NCT03272230

Last Updated: 2024-11-29

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

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

66 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2017-09-06

Study Completion Date

2024-05-08

Brief Summary

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

Apathy is defined as a quantitative reduction in voluntary and goal-directed behavior. To address this, the investigators propose an ethological approach to assess apathy objectively and quantitatively by observing patients in real-life situations.

The ECOCAPTURE paradigm involves a structured, multi-step scenario conducted in a functional exploration platform. This platform is equipped with an advanced data acquisition system integrating video recordings and sensors to precisely monitor and analyze participants' behavior.

Primary objective:

Develop a diagnostic tool for apathy using metrics derived from video recordings and sensor data. This tool aims to provide objective measures to identify and quantify apathy.

Secondary Objectives:

* Validation of ICM\_APATHY\_TASKS: This novel experimental task is designed to evaluate three primary mechanisms thought to underlie apathy: Motivation, Cognitive inertia (difficulty initiating tasks), The interaction between motivation and action execution.
* Identification of the pathophysiological mechanisms of apathy by investigate the cognitive, behavioral, neural, and neurohormonal underpinnings of apathy.

This will enable the classification of apathetic patients into subtypes (or several forms of apathy) based on the dominant mechanisms and provide insights into which processes best explain apathy in individual cases.

This innovative framework aims to deepen the understanding of apathy, improve diagnostic precision, and pave the way for tailored interventions.

Detailed Description

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

A pilot study, ECOCAPTURE (ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT02496312, 2015), was conducted with participants diagnosed with the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) matched for age, gender, and education level with healthy controls (n=7 per group). This study successfully validated the feasibility and conceptual framework of the ECOCAPTURE approach.

The aim of this trial is to further develop and expand the ECOCAPTURE tool by applying it to a larger population, including individuals with the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and healthy control participants.

The objectives of this study are to evaluate goal-directed behavior and identify apathy by analyzing data to establish a behavioral signature of apathy. Additionally, the study seeks to refine patient profiles by delineating the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying apathy, including cognitive processes, neural substrates, and neurohormonal pathways.

The experiments take place on an experimental platform dedicated to the functional exploration of human behavior (PRISME, ICM core facility, Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France), to assess behavior under ecological conditions. The ECOCAPTURE paradigm mimics a naturalistic situation (i.e., waiting comfortably in a waiting room). Participants undergo a structured 45-minute controlled scenario, during which their behavior is systematically monitored to evaluate apathy and disinhibition.

The PRISME platform is transformed into a furnished waiting room containing specific objects that provides opportunities to interact with the environment. The platform is equipped with a six-ceiling camera system (not hidden) covering the entire waiting room. The Media Recorder® software (NOLDUS Information Technology, Wageningen, the Netherlands) facilitates simultaneous video recordings from multiple cameras, ensuring synchronized capture across different viewpoints for comprehensive behavioral analysis. During the experiment, individuals' behavior is video-recorded, and their movement acceleration is measured using a wireless body sensor (Move II® triaxial accelerometer, Movisens GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany) worn on the right hip. An eye-tracking system (SMI Eye Tracking Glasses 2 Wireless, ®SensoMotoric Instruments, Teltow, Germany / Tobii Pro Glasses 3, ®Tobii AB, Danderyd, Sweden) is added to the multimodal recording system, and the subjects wear eye-tracking glasses for a 7-minute period during the 45-minute experimental session. The subjects are informed at the time of initial consent that their behavior would be tracked and recorded by video cameras located in the room.

Video data analysis is performed with The Observer XT software (Version 14.0, NOLDUS, Wageningen, The Netherlands) to identify the frequency and duration of behaviors. Behavioral metrics are obtained by behavioral coding from 45-minute video footage for each individual. Behavioral coding data is collected through the continuous sampling method, to identify all occurrences of behaviors and their duration. Behavioral coding is conducted based on two ethograms - the ECOCAPTURE apathy ethogram, the ECOCAPTURE disinhibition ethogram - (Batrancourt et al. 2022, "The ECOCAPTURE ethograms: apathy ethogram and disinhibition ethogram", Mendeley Data, V2, doi: 10.17632/mv8hndcd95.2) The ECOCAPTURE apathy ethogram includes behaviors divided in two behavioral categories: Motor patterns, Activity states. The ECOCAPTURE disinhibition ethogram includes behaviors divided in three disinhibition categories: Compulsivity, Impulsivity, Social disinhibition.

Metrics built from collected data (video, sensors) are analyzed to reveal a behavioral signature of apathy.

The study consists of two separate visits, each occurring on a different day, and includes the following components: the ECOCAPTURE observation phase in ecological conditions, a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, a series of experimental tasks (some of which are computer-based), an MRI scan (including T1, T2, rs-fMRI, and MS-DWI), and a blood sample collection.

Conditions

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

Apathy Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD) Disinhibition Depression - Major Depressive Disorder

Study Design

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

Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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

Arm 1

The Arm consists of two separate visits, each occurring on a different day, and includes the following components: the ECOCAPTURE observation phase in ecological conditions, a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, a series of experimental tasks (some of which are computer-based), an MRI scan (including T1, T2, rs-fMRI, and MS-DWI), and a blood sample collection.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

ECOCAPTURE

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

45 minutes observational session for tracking goal directed behavior into a waiting room equipped with video and sensor-based data acquisition system

Cognitive and Behavioral experimental tasks

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Cognitive and Behavioral experimental tasks to explore additional frontal cognitive and behavioral dimensions and functions

Neuropsychological assessment

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

STARKSTEIN APATHY SCALE (SAS) / DAS / MMSE / MADRS / EBI / MINI-SEA / FAB / HAD / MATTIS / HAYLING / STROOP / Verbal Span / Lexical verbal fluency / TMT / CDRS

ICM_APATHY_TASKS

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Apathy experimental task

MRI

Intervention Type OTHER

T1 / T2 / rs-fMRI / MS-DWI

Neurohormonal mechanisms

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Hormonal dosage / Diabetic dosage / Ionogramme dosage / Inflammatory dosage / Hepatic dosage / Lipidic dosage / Thyroid dosage

Interventions

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

ECOCAPTURE

45 minutes observational session for tracking goal directed behavior into a waiting room equipped with video and sensor-based data acquisition system

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Cognitive and Behavioral experimental tasks

Cognitive and Behavioral experimental tasks to explore additional frontal cognitive and behavioral dimensions and functions

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Neuropsychological assessment

STARKSTEIN APATHY SCALE (SAS) / DAS / MMSE / MADRS / EBI / MINI-SEA / FAB / HAD / MATTIS / HAYLING / STROOP / Verbal Span / Lexical verbal fluency / TMT / CDRS

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

ICM_APATHY_TASKS

Apathy experimental task

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

MRI

T1 / T2 / rs-fMRI / MS-DWI

Intervention Type OTHER

Neurohormonal mechanisms

Hormonal dosage / Diabetic dosage / Ionogramme dosage / Inflammatory dosage / Hepatic dosage / Lipidic dosage / Thyroid dosage

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Eligibility Criteria

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

Inclusion Criteria

Eligibility Criteria for All Groups:

* Demonstrates the ability to provide informed consent for participation in the study.
* Capable of understanding study instructions and performing cognitive tasks as required.
* Enrolled in a valid health insurance plan.

Eligibility Criteria for Patients:

* Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE): Score ≥ 17.
* Medical History: Absence of any other neurological or psychiatric conditions.
* Caregiver Requirement: Must have a caregiver present.

Patient Groups:

* Diagnosed with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) based on the Rascovsky criteria (Rascovsky et al., 2011).
* Diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) according to DSM-IV criteria.

Eligibility Criteria for Healthy Age-, Sex-, and Education-Matched Controls:

* Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE): Score \> 27.
* Medical History: No history of neurological or psychiatric disorders.

Exclusion Criteria

* MRI Contraindications: Standard contraindications to magnetic resonance imaging (e.g., pacemaker, metallic implants, claustrophobia).
* Cognitive Barriers: Inability to comprehend study instructions.
* Legal Restrictions: Individuals referenced in Articles L.1121-5 to L.1121-8 and L.1122-12 of the French Public Health Code.
Minimum Eligible Age

40 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

85 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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

Brain Institute Paris (ICM)

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital (AP-HP)

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, France

OTHER_GOV

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.

Richard LEVY, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris

Bénédicte BATRANCOURT, PhD

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale, France

Locations

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

Paris Brain Institute / ICM / Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital AP-HP / CIC

Paris, , France

Site Status

Countries

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

France

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Godefroy V, Tanguy D, Bouzigues A, Sezer I, Ferrand-Verdejo J, Azuar C, Bendetowicz D, Carle G, Rametti-Lacroux A, Bombois S, Cognat E, Jannin P, Morandi X, Ber IL, Levy R, Batrancourt B, Migliaccio R. Frontotemporal dementia subtypes based on behavioral inhibition deficits. Alzheimers Dement (Amst). 2021 Apr 6;13(1):e12178. doi: 10.1002/dad2.12178. eCollection 2021.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 33851004 (View on PubMed)

Godefroy V, Batrancourt B, Charron S, Bouzigues A, Bendetowicz D, Carle G, Rametti-Lacroux A, Bombois S, Cognat E, Migliaccio R, Levy R. Functional connectivity correlates of reduced goal-directed behaviors in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia. Brain Struct Funct. 2022 Dec;227(9):2971-2989. doi: 10.1007/s00429-022-02519-5. Epub 2022 Jun 25.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 35751676 (View on PubMed)

Godefroy V, Batrancourt B, Charron S, Bouzigues A, Sezer I, Bendetowicz D, Carle G, Rametti-Lacroux A, Bombois S, Cognat E, Migliaccio R, Levy R. Disentangling Clinical Profiles of Apathy in Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia. J Alzheimers Dis. 2022;90(2):639-654. doi: 10.3233/JAD-220370.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 36155506 (View on PubMed)

Godefroy V, Durand A, Simon MC, Weber B, Kable J, Lerman C, Bergstrom F, Levy R, Batrancourt B, Schmidt L, Plassmann H, Koban L. A structural MRI marker predicts individual differences in impulsivity and classifies patients with behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia from matched controls. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Sep 16:2024.09.12.612706. doi: 10.1101/2024.09.12.612706.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 39345385 (View on PubMed)

Batrancourt B, Lecouturier K, Ferrand-Verdejo J, Guillemot V, Azuar C, Bendetowicz D, Migliaccio R, Rametti-Lacroux A, Dubois B, Levy R. Exploration Deficits Under Ecological Conditions as a Marker of Apathy in Frontotemporal Dementia. Front Neurol. 2019 Aug 28;10:941. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00941. eCollection 2019.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 31551908 (View on PubMed)

Peltier C, Lejeune FX, Jorgensen LGT, Rametti-Lacroux A, Tanguy D, Godefroy V, Bendetowicz D, Carle G, Cognat E, Bombois S, Migliaccio R, Levy R, Marin F, Batrancourt B; ECOCAPTURE study group. A temporal classification method based on behavior time series data in patients with behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia and apathy. J Neurosci Methods. 2022 Jul 1;376:109625. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109625. Epub 2022 May 30.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 35653896 (View on PubMed)

Tanguy D, Batrancourt B, Estudillo-Romero A, Baxter JSH, Le Ber I, Bouzigues A, Godefroy V, Funkiewiez A, Chamayou C, Volle E, Saracino D, Rametti-Lacroux A, Morandi X, Jannin P, Levy R, Migliaccio R; ECOCAPTURE study group. An ecological approach to identify distinct neural correlates of disinhibition in frontotemporal dementia. Neuroimage Clin. 2022;35:103079. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103079. Epub 2022 Jun 7.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 35700600 (View on PubMed)

Tanguy D, Rametti-Lacroux A, Bouzigues A, Saracino D, Le Ber I, Godefroy V, Morandi X, Jannin P, Levy R, Batrancourt B, Migliaccio R; ECOCAPTURE Study Group. Behavioural disinhibition in frontotemporal dementia investigated within an ecological framework. Cortex. 2023 Mar;160:152-166. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2022.11.013. Epub 2022 Dec 28.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 36658040 (View on PubMed)

Study Documents

Access uploaded study-related documents such as protocols, statistical analysis plans, or lay summaries.

Document Type: Study Protocol

The ECOCAPTURE ethograms: apathy ethogram and disinhibition ethogram

View Document

Document Type: Individual Participant Data Set

ECOCAPTURE Dataset - Behavioral coding from video - 17 bvFTD and 18 HC - 28.04.2022

View Document

Document Type: Individual Participant Data Set

ECOCAPTURE Dataset - Behavioral coding from video - 20 bvFTD and 18 HC - 21.03.2022

View Document

Document Type: Individual Participant Data Set

ECOCAPTURE Dataset - Behavioral coding from video - 23 bvFTD and 24 HC - 28.11.2022

View Document

Other Identifiers

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

2017-A00416-47

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

C16-87

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id