The effects of concurrent cognitive and meta‐cognitive training on neuropsychiatric symptoms of people living with younger onset dementia: Protocol for a pilot trial

Background Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are behavioural and psychological disturbances frequent in people with dementia that have been linked with lower quality of life, lower cognitive functioning and greater caregiver distress, especially for caregivers of people with younger‐onset dementia (YOD) (1). Several drug and non‐drug treatments targeting NPS have been investigated in recent years. However, to the best of our knowledge, no treatment has been developed that concurrently targets and trains cognitive and meta‐cognitive processes which are implicated in the expression of NPS. The aim of this pilot trial is to investigate the effects on NPS of a mobile application‐based intervention simultaneously training both processes by incorporating elements of cognitive training and cognitive‐behavioural therapy. Method Twenty participants with YOD will be randomised to the training group or to a control group. Participants in the experimental condition will train at home three times a week for four weeks with remote therapist support. NPS, cognitive, psychological and caregiver outcomes will be assessed before and immediately after the intervention. Result The mobile application is in the design stage and further studies are underway to incorporate the views of people with YOD and their care‐partners, as well as clinicians, to the design. Recruitment of participants is expected in the second half of 2021. Conclusion Findings from this trial will further our understanding of the utility of concurrently targeting cognitive and meta‐cognitive processes in people with YOD when treating NPS and will inform a revision of the application. We believe that results from this study will have important implications for the management and treatment of NPS in the ever‐growing field of interventions utilising technology. 1 Baillon, S., Gasper, A., Wilson‐Morkeh, F., Pritchard, M., Jesu, A. and Velayudhan, L., 2019. Prevalence and Severity of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Early‐ Versus Late‐Onset Alzheimer’s Disease. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias®, 34(7‐8), pp.433‐438.