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WithdrawnNCT03950648Updated Apr 24, 2026

Spatial Cognitive Training for Chronic Vestibular Disorders

An interventional study of Spatial Cognitive Training in Vestibular Abnormality and Cognitive Training, sponsored by University of Pittsburgh. Withdrawn. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-24.

Sponsored by University of Pittsburgh · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Why this study was withdrawn
covid-19 and other priorities have emerged
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
0
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

In this study the investigators propose to apply cognitive training, which has been largely used in the realm of age-related cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease, in a novel clinical context to individuals with vestibular impairment. In prior work the investigators observed that individuals with vestibular loss have evidence of spatial cognitive impairment. The investigators plan to evaluate the preliminary efficacy and feasibility of a cognitive training program in a sample of participants with chronic vestibular impairment who display deficits in spatial ability. The cognitive training program will focus on visuospatial skills and will be used as an adjunct to traditional vestibular physical therapy (VPT).

Read the detailed description

Patients with chronic vestibular dysfunction with report symptoms of spatial cognitive impairment will be offered cognitive training. The intervention will consist of a well-validated cognitive training protocol that specifically targets spatial navigation skills. The protocol was developed by Willis et al. for the Adult Development and Enrichment Trial (ADEPT) trial, which trains map reading and route-learning skills through mental rotation training tasks over the course of 5 weeks. Patients will be assessed by study staff pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention and at 3 months post-intervention using spatial cognitive outcomes, quality of life measures, and gait and balance outcomes.

02

Conditions studied

  • Vestibular Abnormality
  • Cognitive Training
03

In context

Lead sponsor

University of Pittsburgh is the lead sponsor of 1,385 studies on the registry; 167 are open to participants now.

Of its 8 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 4 (50%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of chronic vestibular disorder (>6months \& diagnosis from laboratory testing by neuro-otologist)

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participants with dementia, or with blindness or deafness who cannot participate in cognitive training procedures.
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Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
0 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Spatial Cognitive Training

    map reading and route-learning skills

    Behavioral: Spatial Cognitive Training

Interventions

  • BehavioralSpatial Cognitive Training

    map reading and route-learning skills

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change from baseline in Dizziness Handicap Inventory

    Subjective 25-item questionnaire measuring Quality of Life and disability on a scale from 0-100

    Time frame: Baseline vs immediately post-training

  2. Change from immediate post-training to 3-months post-training in Dizziness Handicap Inventory

    Subjective 25-item questionnaire measuring Quality of Life and disability on a scale from 0-100

    Time frame: Immediately post-training to 3 months post-training

  3. Change from baseline in Dynamic Gait Index

    Balance challenges during 8 different gait tasks (head turns, speed changes, over/around obstacles) with total score out of 24 points.

    Time frame: Baseline vs immediately post-training

  4. Change from immediate post-training to 3-months post-training in Dynamic Gait Index

    Balance challenges during 8 different gait tasks (head turns, speed changes, over/around obstacles) with total score out of 24 points.

    Time frame: Immediately post-training to 3 months post-training

  5. Change from baseline in Four Square Step Test

    Assesses dynamic balance, spatial, \& sequencing skills while stepping forward/back/sideways over a low obstacle (measured in seconds)

    Time frame: Baseline vs immediately post-training

  6. Change from immediate post-training to 3-months post-training in Four Square Step Test

    Assesses dynamic balance, spatial, \& sequencing skills while stepping forward/back/sideways over a low obstacle (measured in seconds)

    Time frame: Immediately post-training to 3 months post-training

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change from baseline in Money Road Map Test

    Assessment of egocentric mental rotation in space by recording total number of errors in right-left discrimination mental rotation tasks.

    Time frame: Baseline vs immediately post-training

  2. Change from immediate post-training to 3-months post-training in Money Road Map Test

    Assessment of egocentric mental rotation in space by recording total number of errors in right-left discrimination mental rotation tasks.

    Time frame: Immediately post-training to 3 months post-training

  3. Change from baseline in Benton Visual Retention Test

    visual perception and visual memory assessment by asking participant to reproduce 10 designs following a 10-second exposure and scored 0-10 based on correct drawing reconstruction.

    Time frame: Baseline vs immediately post-training

  4. Change from immediate post-training to 3-months post-training in Benton Visual Retention Test

    visual perception and visual memory assessment by asking participant to reproduce 10 designs following a 10-second exposure and scored 0-10 based on correct drawing reconstruction.

    Time frame: Immediately post-training to 3 months post-training

  5. Change from baseline in modified Clinical Test of Sensory Organization and Balance

    Static standing balance during 4 conditions where sensory inputs are altered (eyes open/eyes closed on firm/foam surface) and each condition is timed for max of 30 seconds.

    Time frame: Baseline vs immediately post-training

  6. Change from immediate post-training to 3-months post-training in modified Clinical Test of Sensory Organization and Balance

    Static standing balance during 4 conditions where sensory inputs are altered (eyes open/eyes closed on firm/foam surface) and each condition is timed for max of 30 seconds.

    Time frame: Immediately post-training to 3 months post-training

  7. Change from baseline in Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale

    Subjective questionnaire that determines confidence during daily tasks (scores range 0-100%)

    Time frame: Baseline vs immediately post-training

  8. Change from immediate post-training to 3-months post-training in Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale

    Subjective questionnaire that determines confidence during daily tasks (scores range 0-100%)

    Time frame: Immediately post-training to 3 months post-training

  9. Change from baseline in Santa Barbara Sense of Direction Scale

    15 question related to subjective sense of direction adeptness (ranging 1-7 for each item); cumulative score is divided by number of responses answered to yield a 1-7 total score.

    Time frame: Baseline vs immediately post-training

  10. Change from immediate post-training to 3-months post-training in Santa Barbara Sense of Direction Scale

    15 question related to subjective sense of direction adeptness (ranging 1-7 for each item); cumulative score is divided by number of responses answered to yield a 1-7 total score.

    Time frame: Immediately post-training to 3 months post-training

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Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — dissemination of study findings in manuscript publication in scientific journal

Supporting information: Study protocol, Sap, Csr

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 24, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03950648
Lead sponsor
University of Pittsburgh
Collaborators
Johns Hopkins University
Responsible party
Brooke Klatt (Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Pittsburgh) — Principal investigator
First posted
May 15, 2019
Start date
Jun 1, 2020 (estimated)
Primary completion
Jun 30, 2020 (estimated)
Completion
Apr 22, 2026
Last update
Apr 24, 2026

Study contacts

Brooke Klatt, PhD, PT
principal investigator · University of Pittsburgh

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is withdrawn, as verified in Apr 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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