Clinical Trial: Motor Learning and Brain Changes in Autism

Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: The Effects of Video Game Learning on the Brain in Adolescents With Autism: A Pilot Study

Brief Summary: The purpose of this pilot study is to determine whether a video-game based motor training can affect postural stability, daily living skills, autism symptoms, and white matter microstructure of the corticospinal tract in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Detailed Summary:

Participants: Participants will include 30 adolescents with ASD (14-18 years of age). Exclusion criteria consists of engaging in more than 2 hours/week of balance training activities (i.e., yoga, tai chi, Wii/Kinect balance games) at study start. Each individual will receive a pre-training magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a treatment group or control group. Over the next six weeks, participants in the treatment group will come to the lab to complete 3-5 hours/week of video-game motor training. Participants in the passive control group will come to the lab to do basic motor measurements and sedentary video gaming without motor training. Participants will be asked not to start any new exercise-related programs during those 6 weeks. After the sixth week, all participants will complete a post-training MRI scan and behavioral assessment.

Motor Video Game Training: Participants in the treatment group will come to the University of Wisconsin lab to train 3-5 days each week under research staff supervision. Each training session will last 30-60 minutes and will begin and end with ~5 minutes playing the Ninja Training game from Dr. Ellertson's lab (Boise State University). In this game, participants will hold a position (i.e., the Karate Kid crane pose) for as long as they can, while we collect time-series data on the position of each joint using the Kinect camera as well as time-series data on the center of pressure using the Wii balance board. Participants are rewarded for holding the pose as long as possible by seeing the background behind them come to life. For the rest of the training, participants will play balance games from the Wii Fit.

Motor & Symptom Severity Assessments: Pre-post postural stability measures will be assessed in both groups through standing posture
Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison

Current Primary Outcome:

  • Balance Time [ Time Frame: 6 weeks ]
  • Postural Stability [ Time Frame: 6 weeks ]
    Center of Pressure Measurements from Wii Balance Board
  • White matter microstructure of the Corticospinal tract [ Time Frame: 6 weeks ]
    White matter microstructure of the Corticospinal tract, as measured through Diffusion Weighted Imaging


Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome:

  • Adaptive Daily Living Skills [ Time Frame: 6 weeks ]
    Vineland-II and Waisman Adaptive Daily Living Skills Measurements
  • Social Responsiveness [ Time Frame: 6 weeks ]
    Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) Measurements


Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: University of Wisconsin, Madison

Dates:
Date Received: February 3, 2015
Date Started: March 2015
Date Completion: March 2018
Last Updated: May 16, 2017
Last Verified: May 2017