Feasibility, usability, and acceptance of “Brain-IT”—A newly developed exergame-based training concept for the secondary prevention of mild neurocognitive disorder: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

Aging Neuroscience

Hanna Poikonen¹  Patrick Manser²  Eling D. de Bruin³ 

[1] Learning Sciences and Higher Education, Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;Motor Control and Learning Group, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;Motor Control and Learning Group, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;Department of Health, OST - Eastern Swiss University of Applied Sciences, St. Gallen, Switzerland;Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden;

关键词: cognition;    cognitive impairment;    electroencephalography;    exercise;    exergaming;    neurosciences;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fnagi.2023.1163388

 received in 2023-02-15, accepted in 2023-08-29,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundExergames provide a promising new approach to implement simultaneous motor–cognitive training, which may support preventing the decline in cognitive functioning in older adults who have a mild neurocognitive disorder (mNCD).ObjectivesTo evaluate feasibility, system usability, and acceptance of “Brain-IT”, a newly developed training concept combining exergame-based motor-cognitive training and heart rate variability (HRV) guided resonance breathing for the secondary prevention of mNCD.MethodsA pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) with an allocation ratio of 2:1 (i.e., intervention:control) was conducted. The control group proceeded with usual care. The intervention group performed a 12-week training according to the “Brain-IT” training concept implemented with the “Senso Flex” (Dividat AG) exergaming system in addition to usual care. Feasibility and usability outcomes were analyzed using descriptive statistics. User acceptance was analyzed qualitatively and using Friedman analysis of variance (ANOVA), as well as Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.ResultsEighteen participants (77.3 ± 9.8 years; 44.4% females) were included. On average, we recruited 2.2 participants per month, and 35.3% of the individuals contacted were included. The intervention group had an attrition rate of 20% and mean adherence and compliance rates of 85.0 and 84.1%, respectively. The mean system usability score, measured with the system usability scale, was 71.7. High levels of exergame enjoyment, an increase in exergame enjoyment, and internalization of training motivation with large effect sizes (p = 0.03, r = 0.75 and p = 0.03, r = 0.74, respectively), as well as acceptable perceived usefulness, were observed. Preliminary data on the effects of the “Brain-IT” training are promising.ConclusionThe feasibility and usability of the “Brain-IT” training are acceptable. However, frequent occurrences of technical problems and difficulties in using the exergame training system were identified as barriers to performing the “Brain-IT” training. To optimize feasibility, either improvements or alternative solutions are required in the hardware and software of the exergame used to implement the “Brain-IT” training. The “Brain-IT” training itself was well-accepted by older adults who have mNCD. Therefore, the effectiveness of the “Brain-IT” training concept should be investigated in future studies.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04996654.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Manser, Poikonen and de Bruin.

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