Rehabilitation Program for Cognitive Deficits in Ugandan Children After Cerebral Malaria
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to determine whether computerised cognitive rehabilitation training improves cognition in children who have had cerebral malaria.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Detailed Description
Cerebral malaria affects several children in sub-Saharan Africa leaving some survivors with cognitive problems especially in attention and memory. There are currently no tested interventions for such deficits resulting from infectious diseases like malaria or other causes. Providing such interventions will go a long way in helping these children achieve their full potential.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: Cognitive rehabilitation training Children in this arm will the receive the intervention comprising of 16 cognitive rehabilitation training (CRT) exercises for 8 weeks. These exercises will train different cognitive skills including attention, visual spatial processing, logical skills and memory. |
Behavioral: Cognitive rehabilitation training
A computerised cognitive training package where children will be required to complete several cognitive tasks. The aim is to strengthen the different cognitive processes during these tasks which in turn may lead to improve cognitive processes.
Children will complete these tasks in 16 session for 8 weeks.
Other Names:
|
| No Intervention: Treatment as usual Children in this group will not receive any intervention, they will undergo the usual post discharge treatment for brain injured children at Mulago Hospital (the study site). This is the treatment as usual (TAU) group. |
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Improvement in attention scores [6 months]
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Improvement in memory, reasoning, planning, behaviour and academic achievement [6 months]
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
CM group Inclusion Criteria:
- aged five to 15 years, presenting with asexual forms of P. falciparum malaria on a peripheral blood smear, unarousable coma (not able to localize a painful stimulus) and no other cause for coma (normal CSF).
CM group Exclusion Criteria:
- history of or present meningitis, encephalitis, prior CM, sickle cell disease (SCD), HIV infection, epilepsy, multiple seizures, developmental delay and history of hospitalization for malnutrition.
Healthy control group Inclusion Criteria:
- aged five to 15 years with no other illness at present, within two years of the CM child (for CM children aged 5 and 6 years, the HC's age wont go below 5 and for CM children aged 14 and 15, the HC's age wont go above 15 years).
Healthy control group Exclusion Criteria:
- history of or present bacterial meningitis, encephalitis, CM, SCD, HIV infection, history of hospitalization for malnutrition and any chronic illness for which the patient is currently taking medication.
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mulago hospital Acute Care Unit and the Cerebral Malaria Project | Kampala | Uganda | 7051 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Makerere University
- Karolinska Institutet
Investigators
- Study Chair: Charles Ibingira, MMED, Chairman, Makerere University Faculty of Medicine Research and Ethics Committee
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
- Bangirana P, Idro R, John CC, Boivin MJ. Rehabilitation for cognitive impairments after cerebral malaria in African children: strategies and limitations. Trop Med Int Health. 2006 Sep;11(9):1341-9. Review.
- Boivin MJ, Bangirana P, Byarugaba J, Opoka RO, Idro R, Jurek AM, John CC. Cognitive impairment after cerebral malaria in children: a prospective study. Pediatrics. 2007 Feb;119(2):e360-6. Epub 2007 Jan 15.
- 2006/HD11/4748U