An interventional study of Targeted Cognitive Training (TCT) and Youth Appropriate Online Games in Autism Spectrum Disorder, sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital. Completed. Open to participants aged 13 Years to 17 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2018-03-27.
Sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
The investigators will conduct a randomized placebo-controlled trial of a computerized intervention targeting cognition in 30 teens with autism spectrum disorder.
Given the limited options for treatments to improve the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), strategies that could target secondary features of the condition and improve quality of life for affected individuals are critical. Neuroplasticity-based cognitive training has been found to improve cognition in youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and in adults with schizophrenia. In this trial, the investigators are seeking to extend the relevance of computerized cognitive training to youth with ASD. Given the literature, the investigators hypothesize that computerized cognitive training will produce gains in untrained cognitive tasks and behavioral ratings of executive functions in youth with ASD. The investigators will assess aspects of attention and executive functions in 30 affected youth and randomize them 1:1 to either neuroplasticity based cognitive tests or enjoyable age-appropriate computer games not intended to improve cognition. Cognition will be assessed again after 15 hours of training over 6 weeks and then again at a three month follow up.
1,344 studies on the registry are indexed under Autistic Disorder; 334 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 29 is below the median of 45 across 1,044 interventional studies indexed under Autistic Disorder.
Browse Autistic Disorder studies →Massachusetts General Hospital is the lead sponsor of 2,536 studies on the registry; 446 are open to participants now.
Of its 214 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 161 (75%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
Targeted Cognitive Training (TCT)
Behavioral: Targeted Cognitive Training (TCT)
Youth appropriate online games
Other: Youth Appropriate Online Games
The investigators have selected a set of computer exercises designed to specifically target aspects of cognition relevant to autism spectrum disorder (including attention and executive functions). The tasks were designed to benefit subjects through principles of learning dependent plasticity.
Engaging games not designed to improve cognition
Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB)
Computerized test
Time frame: 6 weeks
No study locations are listed for this record.
This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2018. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Massachusetts General Hospital