Chinese Classics Recitation Training in Subjective Cognitive Decline
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Memory training by Chinese Classics recitation.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD), Subjective Cognitive Decline. Basic parameters: from 60 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Taiwan
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
The Effect of Memory Training by Chinese Classics Recitation on Individuals With Subjective Cognitive Decline
Overview
Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is considered a preclinical condition associated with an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Effective early behavioral interventions remain limited, and the neurobiological mechanisms underlying cognitive training effects are not fully understood, particularly in culturally specific educational contexts. This randomized, assessor-blinded, controlled clinical trial will enroll 60 individuals with SCD to evaluate the effects of a six-month structured Chinese Classics recitation training program. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a non-active control group. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and during annual follow-up. Multimodal evaluations will include neuropsychological testing, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), blood biomarker profiling, gut microbiota analysis, and fecal metabolomics. The study aims to examine clinical outcomes and explore potential neurobiological and systemic correlates associated with culturally adapted cognitive training.
Interventions
- Behavioral Memory training by Chinese Classics recitation
At least five minutes memory training per day, for six months
Primary outcome measures
- Change in task-related brain activation measured by functional MRI [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months]
Secondary outcome measures (12)
- Resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) spectral activity [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months]
- Global Cognitive Function - MMSE [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months]
- Global Cognitive Function - MoCA [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months]
- Verbal Episodic Memory - RAVLT [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months]
- Executive Function - Stroop Test [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months]
- Working Memory - Digit Span [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months]
- Language Function - Boston Naming Test [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months]
- Dementia Severity - CDR [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months]
- Vascular Cognitive Risk - Hachinski Score [Time frame: Baseline]
- Depressive Symptoms - GDS [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months]
- Anxiety Symptoms - BAI [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months]
- Cognitive Reserve - CRI-q [Time frame: Baseline]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Age ≥ 60 years old
- At least two "yes" responses to the following questions are required:
- Forgetting where things are placed?
- Unable to recall the names of good friends?
- Unable to follow and recall conversation?
- Subjective memory problems?
- Consider own memory to be worse than others of a similar age?
Exclusion criteria
- Objective cognitive impairment defined as ≥ 1.5 standard deviations below standardized cognitive testing (e.g., MMSE)
- Diagnosis of MCI
- Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) ≥ 0.5
- Diagnosis of major depressive disorder
- Beck Anxiety Inventory score ≥ 16
- Other medical or neurological conditions that could explain cognitive decline (e.g., vascular dementia, traumatic brain injury)
- Claustrophobia
- Contraindications of MRI (e.g., non-MRI-compatible cardiac pacemaker or devices implanted within the past three months)
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Taiwan · 1 center
- China Medical University Hospital — Taichung
Publications
- Su TS, Su KP, Hsueh PR, Lai ZL, Chen CM, Lai YC, Chen CS, Nian X, Chang YW, Tsai ST. Memory training through Chinese classics recitation for individuals with subjective cognitive decline: study protocol for a pilot study. Front Aging Neurosci. 2026 Jul 20;18:1830299. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2026.1830299. eCollection 2026. PMID 42548715
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07463391 · CMUH115-REC2-001