Cerebral Neurological IllnessNCT03502603
Pilot Study of New Computer-based Neuropsychological Tool: Visual Tests, Touch Responses
A study testing Railroad Test, Swamp Test and Presidents Recognition Test in people with Cerebral Neurological Illness, run by NYU Langone Health at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study is aimed at investigating three new tests that will form part of a computerized tool designed to test brain/cognitive functioning. The system will be evaluated along with the tests' usability on samples of healthy controls and neurologically impaired patient participants. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 21 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Cerebral Neurological Illness
- What is being tested?
- Railroad Test, Swamp Test and Presidents Recognition Test
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 137 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 10 May 2019to 6 Dec 2023
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 21 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Individuals without positive cerebral findings on neuroimaging (Non-PCF)
- Participants can be male or female and between the ages of 21 and 65 years old.
- Participants will have adequate perceptual and motor capabilities to participate in testing.
- Neuroimaging-positive cerebral findings (PCF)
- Patients at NYULMC identified to have significant cerebral findings on neuroimaging.
- Participants will be male or female and between the ages of 21 and 65 years old.
- Participants will have adequate perceptual and motor capabilities to participate in testing.
Who cannot join
- Participants without adequate perceptual and motor capacities preventing them from participation in the testing.
- Participants with severe dysfunction at the level of dementia that can interfere with informed consent.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
New York University School of Medicine
New York, New York, 10016
About this study
This study is aimed at investigating three new tests that will form part of a computerized tool designed to test brain/cognitive functioning. The system will be evaluated along with the tests' usability on samples of healthy controls and neurologically impaired patient participants. These new tests will be assessed with regard to reliability and validity. Reliability will be addressed through investigation of internal consistency of the test items. Validity will be evaluated relative to traditional paper-and-pencil tests and differentiation between patient and healthy participants.Each participant will complete both the computerized and paper and pencil-based tests. The results will be analyzed to see how performances on the two test types compare. The overall aim of this project is to determine if these new computerized tasks are an improvement over standard paper and pencil-based neuropsychological measures.
- Conditions
- Cerebral Neurological Illness
- Being tested
- Railroad Test, Swamp Test, Presidents Recognition Test, Judgment of Line Orientation, Symbol Span subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-IV
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Railroad TestDiagnostic test
Also called 1 Day
This is a test designed to evaluate visual perception capacities and requires the participant to match photographs with railroads as a central theme. The participant is presented with a photograph image at the top of the screen and is asked to match it to one of the two, three or four choices in the lower portion of the display.
Swamp TestDiagnostic test
This is a test of immediate visual memory/attention for photographs with swamp wetlands as a central theme. The participant is briefly presented with a photograph which is replaced by two, three or four choices, one of which the participant is asked to select as the initially presented image.
Presidents Recognition TestDiagnostic test
This is a test of history knowledge and facial recognition using pictures of US presidents and non-president distractors. The participant is presented with two photographs and is asked to identify which is the picture of a US president
Judgment of Line OrientationDiagnostic test
This test requires participants to visually match the orientation of line segments. This is a test of visual perception and was included as a relative equivalent of the Railroad Test.
Symbol Span subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-IVDiagnostic test
This test requires participants to immediately recall a sequence of designs after a brief presentation. This is a test of immediate visual memory/attention and was included as a relative equivalent of the Swamp Test
Information subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV:Diagnostic test
This test requires participants to answer factual knowledge questions. This is a test of fund of knowledge and was included as a verbal equivalent for the non-verbal Presidents Recognition Test.
Digit Span subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IDiagnostic test
This test requires the participant to repeat sets of digits forward, backward, and to sequence digits in ascending order. This is a test of immediate memory/attention and was included to investigate possible attentional correlates of the Swamp Test. This test includes a performance validity indicator that will permit analyses of validity indicators included with the experimental tests
Reading subtest of the Wide Range Achievement TestDiagnostic test
This test requires participants to read words printed on a card. This is a test of word knowledge/academic achievement and was included to investigate the academic achievement concomitants of the Presidents Recognition Test.
Symbol Digit Modalities Test:Diagnostic test
This test requires participants to visually match abstract symbols with numbers within a certain time period. The participant either verbalizes or writes the response on an answer sheet. This is a test of speed of information processing and was included to assess speed of response factors pertaining to all of the experimental tests as reflecting speed of information processing.
Dot Counting TestDiagnostic test
This test requires participants to count arrays of dots presented on a card while being timed. This is a performance validity test and was included to ascertain validity factors pertaining to each of the experimental tests.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Cerebral neurological illness (CNI) participants | Active comparator | Identified from the department of Rehabilitation, Psychiatry, and Medicine and referred to the research staff via in-person communication, email or staff message Receives: Diagnostic Test: Railroad Test; Diagnostic Test: Swamp Test; Diagnostic Test: Presidents Recognition Test; Diagnostic Test: Judgment of Line Orientation; Diagnostic Test: Symbol Span subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-IV; Diagnostic Test: Information subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV:; Diagnostic Test: Digit Span subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-I; Diagnostic Test: Reading subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test; Diagnostic Test: Symbol Digit Modalities Test:; Diagnostic Test: Dot Counting Test |
| Non-CNI participants | Active comparator | Identified from the department of Rehabilitation, Psychiatry, and Medicine and referred to the research staff via in-person communication, email or staff message Receives: Diagnostic Test: Railroad Test; Diagnostic Test: Swamp Test; Diagnostic Test: Presidents Recognition Test; Diagnostic Test: Judgment of Line Orientation; Diagnostic Test: Symbol Span subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-IV; Diagnostic Test: Information subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV:; Diagnostic Test: Digit Span subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-I; Diagnostic Test: Reading subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test; Diagnostic Test: Symbol Digit Modalities Test:; Diagnostic Test: Dot Counting Test |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Score on Railroad Test
Measured: 1 Day
Score on Swamp Test
Measured: 1 Day
Score on President Recognition Test
Measured: 1 Day
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Apr 2018
- Study start10 May 2019
- Primary completion6 Dec 2023
- Study completion6 Dec 2023
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Cerebral Neurological IllnessStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by NYU Langone HealthThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 137 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- NYU Langone Health
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Alexander Chervinsky, PhD, Principal investigator, NYU Langone Health
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03502603
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 17-01677
- Status last verified
- Apr 2025
- First submitted
- 11 Apr 2018
- Last updated
- 9 Apr 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Individual participant data that underlie the results reported in this article, after deidentification (text, tables, figures, and appendices).
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Apr 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Pilot Study of New Computer-based Neuropsychological Tool: Visual Tests, Touch Responses
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03502603
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 17-01677
- Conditions
- Cerebral Neurological Illness
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 137 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- NYU Langone HealthUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 May 2019 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 6 Dec 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 6 Dec 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 18 Apr 2018 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study is aimed at investigating three new tests that will form part of a computerized tool designed to test brain/cognitive functioning. The system will be evaluated along with the tests' usability on samples of healthy controls and neurologically impaired patient participants. These new tests will be assessed with regard to reliability and validity. Reliability will be addressed through investigation of internal consistency of the test items. Validity will be evaluated relative to traditional paper-and-pencil tests and differentiation between patient and healthy participants.Each participant will complete both the computerized and paper and pencil-based tests. The results will be analyzed to see how performances on the two test types compare. The overall aim of this project is to determine if these new computerized tasks are an improvement over standard paper and pencil-based neuropsychological measures.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Cerebral neurological illness (CNI) participants | Active comparator | Diagnostic Test: Railroad Test, Diagnostic Test: Swamp Test, Diagnostic Test: Presidents Recognition Test, Diagnostic Test: Judgment of Line Orientation, Diagnostic Test: Symbol Span subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-IV, Diagnostic Test: Information subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV:, Diagnostic Test: Digit Span subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-I, Diagnostic Test: Reading subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test, Diagnostic Test: Symbol Digit Modalities Test:, Diagnostic Test: Dot Counting TestIdentified from the department of Rehabilitation, Psychiatry, and Medicine and referred to the research staff via in-person communication, email or staff message |
| Non-CNI participants | Active comparator | Diagnostic Test: Railroad Test, Diagnostic Test: Swamp Test, Diagnostic Test: Presidents Recognition Test, Diagnostic Test: Judgment of Line Orientation, Diagnostic Test: Symbol Span subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-IV, Diagnostic Test: Information subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV:, Diagnostic Test: Digit Span subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-I, Diagnostic Test: Reading subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test, Diagnostic Test: Symbol Digit Modalities Test:, Diagnostic Test: Dot Counting TestIdentified from the department of Rehabilitation, Psychiatry, and Medicine and referred to the research staff via in-person communication, email or staff message |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 21 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Individuals without positive cerebral findings on neuroimaging (Non-PCF)
- Participants can be male or female and between the ages of 21 and 65 years old.
- Participants will have adequate perceptual and motor capabilities to participate in testing.
- Neuroimaging-positive cerebral findings (PCF)
- Patients at NYULMC identified to have significant cerebral findings on neuroimaging.
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Participants without adequate perceptual and motor capacities preventing them from participation in the testing.
- Participants with severe dysfunction at the level of dementia that can interfere with informed consent.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Railroad TestAlso: 1 DayThis is a test designed to evaluate visual perception capacities and requires the participant to match photographs with railroads as a central theme. The participant is presented with a photograph image at the top of the screen and is asked to match it to one of the two, three or four choices in the lower portion of the display. | Diagnostic test | Cerebral neurological illness (CNI) participants, Non-CNI participants |
| Swamp TestThis is a test of immediate visual memory/attention for photographs with swamp wetlands as a central theme. The participant is briefly presented with a photograph which is replaced by two, three or four choices, one of which the participant is asked to select as the initially presented image. | Diagnostic test | Cerebral neurological illness (CNI) participants, Non-CNI participants |
| Presidents Recognition TestThis is a test of history knowledge and facial recognition using pictures of US presidents and non-president distractors. The participant is presented with two photographs and is asked to identify which is the picture of a US president | Diagnostic test | Cerebral neurological illness (CNI) participants, Non-CNI participants |
| Judgment of Line OrientationThis test requires participants to visually match the orientation of line segments. This is a test of visual perception and was included as a relative equivalent of the Railroad Test. | Diagnostic test | Cerebral neurological illness (CNI) participants, Non-CNI participants |
| Symbol Span subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-IVThis test requires participants to immediately recall a sequence of designs after a brief presentation. This is a test of immediate visual memory/attention and was included as a relative equivalent of the Swamp Test | Diagnostic test | Cerebral neurological illness (CNI) participants, Non-CNI participants |
| Information subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV:This test requires participants to answer factual knowledge questions. This is a test of fund of knowledge and was included as a verbal equivalent for the non-verbal Presidents Recognition Test. | Diagnostic test | Cerebral neurological illness (CNI) participants, Non-CNI participants |
| Digit Span subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IThis test requires the participant to repeat sets of digits forward, backward, and to sequence digits in ascending order. This is a test of immediate memory/attention and was included to investigate possible attentional correlates of the Swamp Test. This test includes a performance validity indicator that will permit analyses of validity indicators included with the experimental tests | Diagnostic test | Cerebral neurological illness (CNI) participants, Non-CNI participants |
| Reading subtest of the Wide Range Achievement TestThis test requires participants to read words printed on a card. This is a test of word knowledge/academic achievement and was included to investigate the academic achievement concomitants of the Presidents Recognition Test. | Diagnostic test | Cerebral neurological illness (CNI) participants, Non-CNI participants |
| Symbol Digit Modalities Test:This test requires participants to visually match abstract symbols with numbers within a certain time period. The participant either verbalizes or writes the response on an answer sheet. This is a test of speed of information processing and was included to assess speed of response factors pertaining to all of the experimental tests as reflecting speed of information processing. | Diagnostic test | Cerebral neurological illness (CNI) participants, Non-CNI participants |
| Dot Counting TestThis test requires participants to count arrays of dots presented on a card while being timed. This is a performance validity test and was included to ascertain validity factors pertaining to each of the experimental tests. | Diagnostic test | Cerebral neurological illness (CNI) participants, Non-CNI participants |
Primary outcome
Score on Railroad Test
Time frame: 1 Day
Score on Swamp Test
Time frame: 1 Day
Score on President Recognition Test
Time frame: 1 Day
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Apr 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Individual participant data that underlie the results reported in this article, after deidentification (text, tables, figures, and appendices).
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Alexander Chervinsky, PhD principal investigator
NYU Langone Health
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Railroad Test, Swamp Test and Presidents Recognition Test in people with Cerebral Neurological Illness, run by NYU Langone Health at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Apr 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Score on Railroad Test (time frame: 1 Day). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Apr 2025.