Trial results for a study investigating cognitive training in Parkinson's Disease were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2025-07-17, involving 30 participants. The study found a significant improvement in cognitive function for the mental imagery group at 6 weeks (p=0.015).
Background
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting motor function, but non-motor symptoms, including cognitive impairment, are also common and significantly impact quality of life. Cognitive deficits in PD can range from mild to severe, affecting executive functions, attention, memory, and visuospatial skills. Current treatments primarily target motor symptoms, leaving a substantial unmet need for interventions that address cognitive decline. This study explored whether cognitive training could improve cognitive and brain functions in individuals with PD.
Trial design
This completed study, designated as Phase NA, enrolled 30 participants with Parkinson Disease. The research aimed to determine whether cognitive training would improve cognitive and brain functions during activities of daily living, using cognitive evaluations and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The trial compared two interventions: a Mental Imagery group and a Psychoeducation control group.
Key results
The trial reported several key measurements and analyses:
- Change in Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders Cognitive Function Version 2 (Neuro-QoL CF v2) T-scores at 6 Weeks:
- Mental Imagery group: Mean of 49.9 (Standard Deviation 7.2) T-scores.
- Psychoeducation group: Mean of 49.1 (Standard Deviation 8.4) T-scores.
- Mental Imagery group: Mean of 50 (Standard Deviation 7.2) T-scores.
- Psychoeducation group: Mean of 45.9 (Standard Deviation 5.1) T-scores.
- Change in Neuro-QoL CF v2 T-scores at 18 Weeks:
- Mental Imagery group: Mean of 49.9 (Standard Deviation 7.2) T-scores.
- Psychoeducation group: Mean of 49.1 (Standard Deviation 8.4) T-scores.
- Mental Imagery group: Mean of 49.4 (Standard Deviation 7.4) T-scores.
- Psychoeducation group: Mean of 46.9 (Standard Deviation 6.1) T-scores.
- Change in Composite Executive Function T-scores at 6 Weeks:
- Mental Imagery group: Mean of 53.1 (Standard Deviation 7.9) T-scores.
- Psychoeducation group: Mean of 48.7 (Standard Deviation 7.4) T-scores.
- Mental Imagery group: Mean of 54.7 (Standard Deviation 8.2) T-scores.
- Psychoeducation group: Mean of 51 (Standard Deviation 9.5) T-scores.
Key analyses comparing the Mental Imagery group to the Psychoeducation control group included:
- An ANCOVA analysis comparing groups at 6 weeks for Neuro-QoL CF v2 T-scores showed a p-value of 0.015, indicating a statistically significant difference.
- An ANCOVA analysis comparing groups at 18 weeks for Neuro-QoL CF v2 T-scores showed a p-value of 0.993.
- An ANCOVA analysis comparing groups at 6 weeks for Composite Executive Function T-scores showed a p-value of 0.517.
- An ANCOVA analysis comparing groups at 18 weeks for Composite Executive Function T-scores showed a p-value of 0.817.
What this means
The results suggest that cognitive training, specifically through mental imagery, may offer a short-term benefit in improving cognitive function as measured by Neuro-QoL CF v2 T-scores in individuals with Parkinson's Disease. The statistically significant p-value of 0.015 at 6 weeks indicates a positive effect of mental imagery training over psychoeducation for this specific cognitive outcome. However, this benefit did not appear to be sustained at 18 weeks, nor was a significant effect observed for composite executive function at either time point. The small sample size of 30 participants warrants cautious interpretation, and larger, longer-term studies are needed to confirm these findings and explore the durability and broader impact of cognitive training in PD.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT05495997, titled "Cognitive Training in Parkinson's Disease", were posted on 2025-07-17 on clinicaltrials.gov.