Executive Function Training in Childhood Obesity: Food Choice, Quality of Life, and Brain Connectivity (TOuCH): A Randomized Control Trial Protocol

Frontiers in Pediatrics

Núria Miró²  Marta Ramon-Krauel³  Carles Lerin³  Sandra Luis-Ruiz⁴  Cristina Sanchez-Castañeda⁴  Maria Angeles Jurado⁴  Maite Garolera⁵  Consuelo Sanchez⁶  Sònia Martínez⁷ 

[1] Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain;Diabetes Education Unit, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain;Endocrinology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain;Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain;Neuropsychology Unit, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain;Paediatric Endocrinology Unit, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain;Pharmacy and Nutrition Unit, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain;

关键词: childhood obesity;    cognitive training;    executive function;    quality of life;    neuroimaging;    magnetic resonance;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fped.2021.551869

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Background: Individuals with obesity are known to present cognitive deficits, especially in executive functions. Executive functions play an important role in health and success throughout the whole life and have been related to food decision-making and to the ability to maintain energy balance. It is possible to improve executive functions through targeted training. This would involve brain plasticity changes that could be studied through connectivity MRI. The general hypothesis of this study is that executive functions training in children with obesity can improve food choices and produce cognitive and neuroimaging changes (structural and functional connectivity), as well as improve emotional state and quality of life.Methods: Randomized controlled double-blind trial with 12-month follow-up. Thirty children with obesity will be randomly allocated into “executive training” (Cognifit with adaptive difficulty + Cogmed) or “control task” group (Cognifit without adaptive difficulty). Both groups will attend 30–45 min of individual gamified training (Cogmed and/or Cognifit systems) by iPad, five times per week during 6 weeks. Cogmed and Cognifit software are commercially available from Pearson and Cognifit, respectively. Participants will receive an iPad with both apps installed for a 6-week use. Participants will also receive counseling diet information via presentations sent to the iPad and will wear a Fitbit Flex 2 tracker to monitor daily activity and sleep patterns. Main outcomes will be cognitive, emotional, food decision, and quality-of-life measures, as well as neuroimaging measures. Participants are evaluated at baseline (T0), after treatment (T1), and 12 months since baseline (T2).Discussion: Longitudinal study with active control group and 3 time points: baseline, immediately after treatment, and 1 year after baseline. Threefold treatment: executive function training, psychoeducation, and feedback on activity/sleep tracking. We will evaluate the transfer effects of the intervention, including emotional and functional outcomes, as well as the effects on neural plasticity by connectivity MRI.Trial registration: This project has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (trial registration number NCT03615274), August 3, 2018.

【 授权许可】

Unknown