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Background General cognitive impairment is highly prevalent in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Domain-specific cognitive impairments include deficits in working memory (WM), cognitive flexibility, verbal memory, planning and psychomotor speed. These impairments may be associated with poor health behaviours, such as a sedentary lifestyle and low-quality diet. Cognitive training may reverse these effects. Recent evidence suggests that WM training is linked to self-control and, indirectly, to improved lifestyle behaviour including increased physical activity. We aim to investigate the efficacy of WM training (WMT) in patients with COPD on cognitive performance, cognitive stress susceptibility and perception, self-control, and adherence to personalised physical activity and dietary behaviour goals. Methods A double blind, placebo-controlled randomised trial will be conducted in 60 patients with COPD. The trial will consist of two phases; 12 weeks of active WM training or sham training followed by 12 weeks of maintenance. Prior to the WMT, before the first phase, participants in both the sham (n=30) and training group (n=30) will set dietary and physical activity goals based on their dietary intake and physical activity profile using validated tools. Cognitive performance will be examined using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. The primary outcome of this study will be change in cognitive performance. Secondary outcomes will be self-control (impulsivity), compliance, stress susceptibility and perception, change in dietary intake and daily physical activity level and pattern. Discussion This trial will attempt to determine if cognitive performance can be improved in patients with COPD by WMT. Moreover, WM plays a key role in self-regulation of behaviour, i.e. resisting hedonic impulses in exchange for more deliberate evaluations and the achievement of long-term goals. Therefore, we expect that WMT will also have a positive impact on health behaviours. Registration Clinicaltrials.gov registration: NCT03073954 |
