An observational study in Remote Cognitive Training, Alzheimer Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment, sponsored by University of Bern. Completed at 1 site in Switzerland. Open to participants aged 70 Years to 95 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-26.
Sponsored by University of Bern · Observational
The investigators are adapting a tablet-based cognitive training program for Alzheimer's disease (AD) by focusing on specific cognitive components. It is aimed to demonstrate the feasibility, acceptability and usability of remote cognitive training in older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and AD dementia. The study involves 36 participants in three groups, with a two-week intervention and focus groups for refinement.
The investigators aim to extend a tablet-computer-based cognitive training (CT), fully developed in house (KEK 2020-00630), and tailored specifically towards a "typical-AD" cognitive component. This cognitive component is defined through a principal-component analysis (PCA), on which the domains affected by AD (episodic memory, spatial processing, semantic memory) have high loadings. The investigators moreover train working memory training to facilitate transfer effects. By including carers (family members, friends, professional carers) in the focus groups and the integration of help buttons, the investigators expect high adherence. The CT will be based on our ongoing study assessing the CT in people at risk for AD and subjective cognitive decline.
The investigators plan a small feasibility study in three different groups with a total of 36 elderly participants including cognitively normal (N=12), MCI (N=12), and mild-moderate stage dementia due to AD (N=12).
The focus will be on qualitative content analyses based on the results from the focus groups. The results from the first focus group sessions serve the selection, adaptation, and improvement of the CT before it is implemented in the two-week intervention including daily 30-minutes training sessions. A second focus group after the intervention will serve to gain additional insights from users and carers to further improve the CT. To complement this information, the investigators will quantitatively compare specific game parameters related to feasibility (number of levels achieved, numbers of sessions finished, number of dropouts), usability (time until reaching level 1 - learn duration, numbers of help button presses), and acceptability (game evaluation) between the three treatment groups.
The investigators aim to demonstrate that remote CT is possible in older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and diagnosed AD dementia at home and in the care home setting by extending an existing tablet-based CT app with additional (easier) training levels, additional and detailed introductory material to also allow cognitively more severely impaired participants to conduct the CT with as little external support as possible. This study is considered as Risk Category A. The study intervention consists of a tablet-based CT, which does not provide any known risks for the participants.
3,675 studies on the registry are indexed under Alzheimer Disease; 869 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 52 is below the median of 200 across 751 observational studies indexed under Alzheimer Disease.
Browse Alzheimer Disease studies →University of Bern is the lead sponsor of 207 studies on the registry; 47 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Participants will be recruited by newspaper adverts and flyers after public talks. It is also intended to recruit visitors from the day clinic as well as patients from the Interdisciplinary Memory Clinic (IDMC) Bern (https://www.memory-clinic-bern.ch/) and the Domicil care home group (www.domicilbern.ch).
Participants and study partners fulfilling all the following inclusion criteria are eligible for the study:
Study partners:
Participants:
Exclusion Criteria:
Healthy, age- and sex-matched participants (cognitively normal)
Device: App-based cognitive training
Participants with MCI
Device: App-based cognitive training
Participants with mild-moderate stage dementia due to AD
Device: App-based cognitive training
The cognitive training is administered remotely for 2 weeks daily (10 sessions). The participants play all 12 games for 8 minutes in each session.
Feasibility of tablet-based cognitive training
Compliance rate (i.e.number of sessions completed)
Time frame: Assessed at the end of the 2-week intervention (Day 10)
Feasibility of tablet-based cognitive training
Number of levels achieved
Time frame: Assessed at the end of the 2-week intervention (Day 10)
Usability
Time until accomplishment of the first level (learning time)
Time frame: Assessed at the end of the 2-week intervention (Day 10)
Acceptability
Qualitative evaluation of the games in a semi-structured interview (Focus group discussion). For each game, the same questions will be addressed in an open discussion.
Time frame: Assessed within two weeks after day 10 of the intervention
2. Feasibility of tablet-based cognitive training
Number of drop-outs
Time frame: Assessed at the end of the 2-week intervention (Day 10)
Support 1
The extent of support needed from study partners (diary notes)
Time frame: Assessed at the end of the 2-week intervention (Day 10)
Support 2
The number of sessions for which support was required (diary notes)
Time frame: Assessed at the end of the 2-week intervention (Day 10)
Wellbeing
Influence on mood and wellbeing (questionnaire)
Time frame: Assessed every day during the intervention, a couple of seconds before playing the games (answering the in-game question on the tablet precedes playing the scheduled session).
Evaluation of Games by Study Partner
Qualitative evaluation of the games in a semi-structured interview (Focus group discussion). For each game, the same questions will be addressed in an open discussion.
Time frame: Assessed every day after (within couple of minutes) each game of the intervention was played.
Plan to share: Yes — The investigators will share encrypted study data used for publications in an appropriate open access data base
This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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