Objective: The Parkin’Play Study aims to evaluate the feasibility of an individually tailored multi-domain cognitive intervention (a health game) on cognitive performance in Parkinson’s Disease (PD). The game targets various domains, such as executive function, memory, visual perception, visuo-construction, and language [1].

Background: In PD, cognitive impairment is an important non-motor symptom heralding the development of dementia [2]. Even with optimal medical management of the motor symptoms, cognitive impairment remains a common and incapacitating problem for many PD patients. Therefore, adequate strategies to improve cognitive performance and to possibly delay the onset of PD dementia are urgently needed.

Methods: The feasibility of a cognitive health game will be evaluated in an interim analysis of a multicentre, phase-II, open-randomized clinical trial of 41 patients with PD, Hoehn & Yahr stages I-III, aged between 40 and 75 years, and with cognitive impairment but no dementia. The intervention group was trained for a minimum of 12 weeks using the health game (AquaSnap), while the control group was placed on a waiting list. In order to increase compliance, the health game could be played at home, was enjoyable and adapted to the subjects’ performance. Assessments were conducted at three time points: at baseline, week 12 and week 24. Cognitive performance was assessed by a standard neuropsychological assessment battery and Z-scores were used to compare groups.

Results: The intervention group consisted of 21 subjects (18 male, 3 female) and the control group of 20 subjects (18 male, 2 female). At baseline, no significant group differences were found. Five patients (12%) dropped out of the study before follow-up assessments could be performed. After follow-up assessments are completed in April 2018, an interim analysis will be performed, containing both an intention to treat as well as a per protocol analysis. Feasibility of the intervention will be analyzed in terms of training duration and user experience.

Conclusions: Conclusions on feasibility of an individually tailored multi-domain cognitive intervention (a health game) on cognitive performance in PD will be presented. If feasible for those patients

References: 1. S.C.F. van de Weijer, A.A. Duits, B.R. Bloem, R.P. Kessels, J.F. Jansen, S. Köhler, G. Tissingh, M.L. Kuijf. The Parkin’Play study: protocol of a phase II randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of a health game on cognition in Parkinson’s diseaseBMC Neurol., 16 (1) (2016), p. 209. 2. Yarnall AJ, Breen DP, Duncan GW, Khoo TK, Coleman SY, Firbank MJ, et al. Characterizing mild cognitive impairment in incident Parkinson disease The ICICLE-PD Study. Neurology. 2014;82(4):308-16. AAN Enterprises.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/feasibility-of-a-health-game-on-cognition-in-parkinsons-disease-interim-analyses-of-the-parkinplay-study/