The Efficacy of a Remote Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) Program on Parkinson's Disease

The Efficacy of a Remote Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) Program on Parkinson's Disease

Purpose/Goal: To determine if a remote computerized cognitive remediation program (CRT) can stabilize or improve cognitive functioning in a group of patients from the New York Institute of Technology Academic Health Care Center with Parkinson's disease (PD) after three months of intervention.

Hypothesis: Patients with PD who present with current cognitive deficits will show improvement in such deficits after three months of participation in a remotely supervised structured Cognitive Remediation Therapy Program (CRT) compared to control subjects with PD who receive treatment as usual.

Research design: Pilot study. Prospective randomized treatment and control comparison pre-post study.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Subjects must be currently enrolled in the Rock Steady Boxing Program at the Adele Smithers Parkinson's Disease Center.
2. Subjects must be between 40 and 85 years old (including both ages) at the time of study screening.
3. Subjects must have a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease by a physician.
4. Subjects must have a MOCA score of 20 or above.
5. Subjects must demonstrate adequate decisional capacity, in the judgment of the consenting study staff member, to make a choice about participating in this research study.
6. Subjects must have been clinically stable for 2 weeks prior to consent; in the judgment of the Investigator.
7. Subjects must have the visual, auditory, and motor capacity to use the intervention in the judgment of the Principal Investigator.
8. Subjects must be technologically capable of utilizing a computer and navigating through the programs.
9. Subjects must be mechanically capable of utilizing a computer and computer mouse.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Subjects should not be participating in a concurrent research study or other interventional clinical trial 30 days prior to consenting.
2. Subjects should not have a history of mental retardation or pervasive developmental disorder; or other co-morbid neurological disorder (e.g., epilepsy.)
3. Subject is unable to physically use a computer or a computer mouse.
4. Subject is unable to or refuses to give consent.