Twice-daily digital exercises to improve working memory and control in older adults
Official title: Behavioral Intervention Development Core - Working Memory Digital Intervention in Aging
Run by University of California, San Francisco · NCT06918704 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether two different digital training apps, used about 25–45 minutes a day for up to eight weeks, can help older adults (including those with mild cognitive impairment) improve working memory and inhibitory control.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 60 Years to 85 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 150 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of California, San Francisco Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (San Francisco, California) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 15, 2025 |
| Main results expected | January 31, 2028 |
| Study ends | July 31, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | April 1, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06918704 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are English-speaking adults aged 60 or older with at least 12 years of education, normal or corrected vision, and either typical age-related cognition or mild cognitive impairment without dementia.
✕Probably not a fit
People with a clinical diagnosis of dementia, major neurological or psychiatric disorders, uncorrected sensory impairments, or who do not meet the age/education/English-fluency requirements are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Participants complete baseline web-based cognitive tests and surveys, then are randomly assigned to one of two intervention apps and given an iPad to use at home. They will train 25–45 minutes per day, 5 days a week, for up to eight weeks (about 1000 minutes total). The same cognitive assessments and surveys are repeated immediately after the intervention and again six months later to measure short- and longer-term effects. All activities are completed remotely, and the iPad is provided for study use and kept by participants after completion.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If effective, the digital program could improve day-to-day memory and attention for older adults and potentially slow cognitive decline in people with mild cognitive impairment.
How similar studies have gone: Prior digital cognitive-training studies have produced mixed results, with some showing improvements on trained tasks and short-term memory measures but inconsistent evidence for broad, lasting real-world benefits.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Minimum of 12 years of education * English fluency * Normal or corrected-to-normal vision * Normal or corrected-to-normal vision * Medically healthy older adults including those with below-average cognitive performance or mild cognitive impairment patients without dementia Exclusion Criteria: * Under the age of 60 * Clinical diagnosis of neurological or psychiatric disorder * Visually or hearing impaired without correction to normal * Clinical diagnosis of dementia or AD8 score of \>3 * Regularly (one or more times per week) practicing an instrument within the last year * 10 or more years of formal musical instrument training
Where it's running
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Theodore Zanto, PhD — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Melissa Arioli
- Email: Bid.Core@ucsf.edu
- Phone: (415) 506-7321
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.