Implementation of a neuromuscular training programme in female adolescent football: 3-year follow-up study after a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundCognitive remediation (CR) training has emerged as a promising approach to improving cognitive deficits in schizophrenia and related psychosis. The limited availability of psychological services for psychosis is a major barrier to accessing this intervention however. This study investigated the effectiveness of a low support, remotely accessible, computerised working memory (WM) training programme in patients with psychosis.MethodsNinety patients were enrolled into a single blind randomised controlled trial of CR. Effectiveness of the intervention was assessed in terms of neuropsychological performance, social and occupational function, and functional MRI 2 weeks post-intervention, with neuropsychological and social function again assessed 3–6 months post-treatment.ResultsPatients who completed the intervention showed significant gains in both neuropsychological function (measured using both untrained WM and episodic task performance, and a measure of performance IQ), and social function at both 2-week follow-up and 3–6-month follow-up timepoints. Furthermore, patients who completed MRI scanning showed improved resting state functional connectivity relative to patients in the placebo condition.ConclusionsCR training has already been shown to improve cognitive and social function in patient with psychosis. This study demonstrates that, at least for some chronic but stable outpatients, a low support treatment was associated with gains that were comparable with those reported for CR delivered entirely on a 1:1 basis. We conclude that CR has potential to be delivered even in services in which psychological supports for patients with psychosis are limited.

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Three-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial to reduce excessive weight gain in the first two years of life: protocol for the POI follow-up study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-016-3383-4 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Rachael W. Taylor ◽

Anne-Louise M. Heath ◽

Barbara C. Galland ◽

Sonya L. Cameron ◽

Julie A. Lawrence ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Weight Gain ◽

Randomised Controlled Trial ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Excessive Weight Gain ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Excessive Weight ◽

Randomised Controlled

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TheBrain Gamesstudy: protocol for a randomised controlled trial of computerised cognitive training for preventing mental illness in adolescents with high-risk personality styles

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017721 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (9) ◽

pp. e017721 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Louise Mewton ◽

Antoinette Hodge ◽

Nicola Gates ◽

Rachel Visontay ◽

Maree Teesson

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Randomised Controlled Trial ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Executive Functioning ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Training Programme ◽

Randomised Controlled

IntroductionA broad range of mental disorders are now understood as aberrations of normal adolescent brain development. In both adolescents and adults, executive dysfunction has been implicated across a range of mental illnesses, and enhancing executive functioning may prove to be a useful prevention strategy for adolescents at risk for a range of psychopathology.Methods and analysisThis study will consist of a double-blind, randomised controlled trial with a 12-month follow-up period. Participants will consist of 200 people aged 16–24 years who are at risk for a range of mental disorders based on personality risk factors, but have not experienced a lifetime mental illness as determined by a structured diagnostic interview. Participants will be randomly allocated to either an intervention group who complete an online cognitive training programme specifically targeting executive functioning ability or a control group who complete an online cognitive training programme that has limited executive functioning training potential. Superiority of the executive functioning training programme compared with the control training programme will be assessed at baseline, post-training and at 3-month, 6-month and 12-month follow-up. All assessments will be conducted online. The primary outcome of the study will be general psychopathology as measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes will include executive functioning ability, day-to-day functioning and alcohol consumption. All analyses will be undertaken using mixed-model repeated measures analysis of variance with planned contrasts.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval has been obtained from the University of New South Wales Human Research Ethics Committee (HC15094). Results of the trial immediately post-treatment and at 12 months follow-up will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration numberACTRN12616000127404; Pre-results.

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