Study of Digital Apps to Improve Memory and Thinking Skills in Adults Aged 60 to 85

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate whether engaging with digital interventions can improve cognitive functions, specifically working memory and inhibitory control, in older adults. The study focuses on medically healthy seniors, including those with mild cognitive impairment but without dementia, to understand if these digital tools may help enhance cognitive skills related to aging. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two digital intervention groups to compare their effects. Participants will receive an iPad tablet and be randomly assigned to use either the Coherence app, which involves music-based rhythm training, or the Worder app, a word search game. They will be asked to train with their assigned app for 25 to 45 minutes per day, five days a week, over a period of up to eight weeks, totaling 1000 minutes of training. The study includes a baseline assessment, the intervention period, a post-intervention assessment, and a follow-up assessment six months later. Throughout the study, participants will complete web-based cognitive assessments and surveys at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and six months following the intervention. These assessments measure various cognitive abilities including working memory, inhibitory control, long-term memory, and sustained attention. Surveys will also gather information on stress levels, health background, and expectations. Participants can complete assessments across multiple sessions and will keep the iPad as a gift after finishing all study activities.

BID WM Digital Intervention in Aging