Memory support program for older Chinese American adults with mild cognitive impairment

A Pilot of Memory Support System for Older Chinese Americans With Mild Cognitive Impairment

This project will test whether the Memory Support System helps Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking Chinese American older adults with mild cognitive impairment manage everyday memory and thinking challenges.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 7 (estimated)
• Ages: 55 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (New York, New York)
• Trial ID: NCT07142499 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

The trial adapts the Memory Support System (MSS) from the HABIT program for Chinese American older adults with MCI and pairs it with brain health education. Sixty participants (30 Mandarin-speaking, 30 Cantonese-speaking) will be enrolled, with 40 receiving trainer-led day-planner training and 20 completing a self-study version. Participants must be age 55+, able to read and write Chinese, have a confirmed MCI diagnosis, and have a study partner available to provide collateral information. Outcomes will focus on everyday memory use, functional independence, and feasibility of the culturally and linguistically adapted intervention.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are Chinese American adults aged 55 or older who primarily speak Mandarin or Cantonese, can read and write Chinese, have a confirmed diagnosis of MCI, and have a regular study partner or informant.

Not a fit: People with significant neurologic disease, a recent DSM-5 psychiatric disorder, reading or writing disability that interferes with training, inability to read/write Chinese, or those enrolled in another relevant clinical trial are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could help Chinese American older adults with MCI improve day-to-day memory management and maintain independence longer.

How similar studies have performed: The MSS from HABIT has demonstrated benefits in non-Hispanic White, English-speaking populations, but its use in Chinese American, Mandarin- and Cantonese-speaking groups is novel and under-studied.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria:

* self-identify as Chinese American;
* age 55 and above;
* a diagnosis of MCI as confirmed through documented clinical assessment and/or research-based diagnostic criteria;
* predominantly Cantonese- or Mandarin-speaking;
* able to read and write in Chinese;
* visual and auditory acuity adequate for cognitive testing;
* willing to complete the assessment measures;
* having someone in regular contact to serve as a study partner/informant;
* absence or stable use of prescribed memory-enhancing medications within the last 3 months.

Exclusion criteria include:

* any significant neurologic disease that would impact their participation and completion of the trial;
* history of psychiatry disorder (DSM 5 criteria) within the last 12 months;
* history of reading or writing disability sufficient to interfere with MSS training; or
* concurrent participation in another relevant clinical trial.

Where this trial is running

New York, New York

• Li Lab, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, New York, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Clara Li, PhD — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Study coordinator: Clara Li, PhD

Conditions Mild Cognitive Impairment