Mental AcuityPhase 2/3NCT01126021
Using Technology to Promote Mental Acuity
A Phase 2/3 study testing Financial incentives and No incentives in people with Mental Acuity, run by University of Pennsylvania at 2 sites in United States.
Trial summary
The study plans to test the effectiveness of behavioral economics based incentives to promote the daily use of computer programs designed to improve memory and mental acuity. Subjects will be recruited from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 55 to 80 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Mental Acuity
- What is being tested?
- Financial incentives and No incentives
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 600 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- May 2010to Mar 2012
- Phase
- Phase 2/3
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 55 to 80 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 55-80 years old
Who cannot join
- Unable to read or understand the informed consent form
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country.
United States2 sites
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
About this study
The study plans to test the effectiveness of behavioral economics based incentives to promote the daily use of computer programs designed to improve memory and mental acuity. Subjects will be recruited from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The primary objective is to determine the impact of structured financial incentives on the number of computer-based cognitive exercises completed during a 3 month intervention period.
- Conditions
- Mental Acuity
- Being tested
- Financial incentives, No incentives
- Keywords
- Senior citizens, mental acuity, memory
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Financial incentivesBehavioural
Participants are eligible for incentives if they participate in at least 30 games per day.
No incentivesBehavioural
Participants will be given training and access to the software to participate in mental exercises but will not be given financial incentives for participation.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Active comparator | Given access to mental exercises but receives no rewards for use. Receives: Behavioral: No incentives |
| Atomistic | Experimental | Each individual is awarded for his or her individual participation Receives: Behavioral: Financial incentives |
| Altruistic | Experimental | Participants are paired and rewarded according to the other individual's participation. Receives: Behavioral: Financial incentives |
| Team-based | Experimental | Teams compete against each other and receive rewards according to relative participation. Receives: Behavioral: Financial incentives |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number of activities completed
The number of memory and cognition enhancement activities played per day using the study provided software will be measured.
Measured: 6 weeks
Performance on activities completed
Performance is measured by a scoring algorithm designed to estimate levels of memory, attention, cognitive control and processing speed.
Measured: 6 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 May 2010 (estimated)
- Study startMay 2010
- Primary completionSep 2011
- Study completionMar 2012
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Mental AcuityStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of PennsylvaniaThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 2/3
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 600 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Pennsylvania
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01126021
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HS09-634
- Status last verified
- Dec 2016
- First submitted
- 17 May 2010
- Last updated
- 2 Dec 2016
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Dec 2016. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Using Technology to Promote Mental Acuity
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT01126021
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- HS09-634
- Conditions
- Mental Acuity
- Keywords
- Senior citizens, mental acuity, memory
- Phase
- Phase 2/3
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 600 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of PennsylvaniaUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Study start
- May 2010
- Primary completion
- Sep 2011 (actual)
- Study completion
- Mar 2012 (actual)
- First posted
- 19 May 2010 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The study plans to test the effectiveness of behavioral economics based incentives to promote the daily use of computer programs designed to improve memory and mental acuity. Subjects will be recruited from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The primary objective is to determine the impact of structured financial incentives on the number of computer-based cognitive exercises completed during a 3 month intervention period.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Active comparator | Behavioral: No incentivesGiven access to mental exercises but receives no rewards for use. |
| Atomistic | Experimental | Behavioral: Financial incentivesEach individual is awarded for his or her individual participation |
| Altruistic | Experimental | Behavioral: Financial incentivesParticipants are paired and rewarded according to the other individual's participation. |
| Team-based | Experimental | Behavioral: Financial incentivesTeams compete against each other and receive rewards according to relative participation. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 55 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- 55-80 years old
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Unable to read or understand the informed consent form
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Financial incentivesParticipants are eligible for incentives if they participate in at least 30 games per day. | Behavioural | Altruistic, Atomistic, Team-based |
| No incentivesParticipants will be given training and access to the software to participate in mental exercises but will not be given financial incentives for participation. | Behavioural | Control |
Primary outcome
Number of activities completed
Time frame: 6 weeks
The number of memory and cognition enhancement activities played per day using the study provided software will be measured.
Performance on activities completed
Time frame: 6 weeks
Performance is measured by a scoring algorithm designed to estimate levels of memory, attention, cognitive control and processing speed.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 2 Dec 2016.
- LDI Center for Health IncentivesLink provided by the sponsor.
Related trials for Mental Acuity
Not yet recruiting
The Effect of Water Temperature on Heart Rate Variability and Cognition
Mental Acuity
Not yet recruiting
Effects of Red Panax Ginseng Supplementation on Cognitive Performance and Emotional Well-Being in Young Healthy Adults
Mental Acuity
Recruiting
Effects of Spirulina Supplementation on Mental Health in Healthy Adults
Depression, Mental Acuity
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 2/3 study testing Financial incentives and No incentives in people with Mental Acuity, run by University of Pennsylvania at 2 sites in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Dec 2016. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this combined phase mean?
Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.
Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number of activities completed (time frame: 6 weeks). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Dec 2016; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 27 Oct 2026.