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African Dance for Cognitive Health (REACT Trial)

N/A
Waitlist Available
Led By Kirk I Erickson, PhD
Research Sponsored by University of Pittsburgh
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
No diagnosis of a neurological disease or psychiatric conditions
Between 60 and 80 years of age
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up changes from baseline to 6-months
Awards & highlights

REACT Trial Summary

This trial is testing whether African dance can help improve physical activity behaviors in older adults, and whether this in turn has benefits for neurocognitive health.

Who is the study for?
The REACT trial is for African American adults aged 60-80 who can walk without pain or aids, attend at least 80% of classes with reliable transport, and have no severe cognitive impairment (TICS score above 21). They must be MRI eligible, fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and not have a history of neurological diseases or psychiatric conditions.Check my eligibility
What is being tested?
This study tests the impact of African Dance versus Africana Culture classes on brain health in older adults. Participants will be randomly placed in either class for six months. Their cognitive function and brain structure will be assessed using neuropsychological tests and MRI scans before and after the intervention.See study design
What are the potential side effects?
Since this trial involves physical activity through dance and cultural education rather than medical interventions, side effects are minimal but may include typical exercise-related risks such as muscle soreness or strain.

REACT Trial Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
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I do not have any neurological or psychiatric conditions.
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I am between 60 and 80 years old.
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I can walk without pain or help from devices.
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I have not had falls or balance issues.

REACT Trial Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~changes from baseline to 6-months
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and changes from baseline to 6-months for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Outcome measures can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary outcome measures
Flanker Performance
Secondary outcome measures
Hippocampal volume (mm3)
Other outcome measures
Actigraphy steps per day
Cardiorespiratory fitness
Depression
+5 more

REACT Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Group I: African DanceExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
This is the experimental group. Dance classes will be held 3 times per week for 1 hour. Participants will learn traditional Africana dance moves and sequences.
Group II: African Cultural ImmersionActive Control1 Intervention
This is the active control group. Participants will participate in a variety of educational activities related to African Culture, including traditional cooking, lectures, crafts, music and films. They will meet 3 times per week for the same duration as the Dance group. However, they will not participate in aerobic activity during the classes, and most activities will be conducted in a seated position.

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

University of PittsburghLead Sponsor
1,719 Previous Clinical Trials
16,342,190 Total Patients Enrolled
National Institute on Aging (NIA)NIH
1,668 Previous Clinical Trials
28,004,913 Total Patients Enrolled
Kirk I Erickson, PhDPrincipal InvestigatorUniversity of Pittsburgh
4 Previous Clinical Trials
935 Total Patients Enrolled

Media Library

Brain Structure Clinical Trial 2023: African Cultural Immersion Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT03771716 — N/A
African Cultural Immersion 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT03771716 — N/A

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.

Is this research project accessible to those under the age of 55?

"Applicants between the ages of 60 to 80 are eligible for this clinical trial. Additionally, there is a sub-study available for individuals below 18 and one more accessible by those over 65."

Answered by AI

What objectives is this research endeavor attempting to fulfill?

"This clinical study is designed to measure Flanker Performance across a 6-month period. Secondary outcomes include Actigraphy steps per day, Resting State Functional Connectivity and Cardiorespiratory Fitness. The former will be measured via wrist-worn accelerometers every six weeks throughout the intervention while the latter two analyses shall rely on region of interest based approaches centered around the hippocampus and sub-maximal fitness tests respectively in order to determine changes in respective measures before and after the trial's completion."

Answered by AI

What is the upper boundary of participants involved in this experiment?

"Yes, the information located on clinicaltrials.gov affirms that this research is presently recruiting participants. Initially posted on May 21st 2019 and recently updated in October 6th 2022, the trial seeks 180 volunteers from a single site."

Answered by AI

Who is eligible for this clinical research initiative?

"This clinical trial is accepting 180 African American individuals, aged between sixty and eighty years old. To be considered for the study, patients must also abide by several additional criteria: they should be ambulatory without pain or need of walking aids; have no record of falls nor balance problems; possess a proficient level of spoken English as well as literacy in the language; not have any long-term travel plans that would prevent them from making 80% or more class sessions; access to reliable transportation services; TICS scores above 21 indicative of moderate to severe cognitive impairment but with no indication of neurological diseases or psychiatric conditions; eligible MRI candidates who are neither cla"

Answered by AI

Can individuals currently enroll in this clinical trial?

"Correct. According to clinicaltrials.gov, the trial which first appeared on May 21st 2019 is currently seeking participants in its 180-person cohort from 1 location."

Answered by AI

Who else is applying?

What state do they live in?
Ohio
How old are they?
18 - 65
What site did they apply to?
University of Pittsburgh
What portion of applicants met pre-screening criteria?
Did not meet criteria
Recent research and studies
clinicaltrials.govStudy
Rhythm Experience and Africana Culture Trial
Kirk Erickson, PhD 2019. "Rhythm Experience and Africana Culture Trial". ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03771716.
~7 spots leftby Jul 2024
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