AgingSCOTNCT05023187
Social and Cognitive Online Training: the SCOT Project
A study testing SCOT and CON in people with Aging and Cognitive Decline, run by Università degli Studi di Trento at 1 site in Italy.
Trial summary
Social isolation and reduced involvement in cognitive activities are associated with repercussions on cognitive well-being and health status in elderly adults. In particular, loneliness and social isolation represent risk factors in favouring cognitive decline and dementia. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 65 to 90 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Aging, Cognitive Decline
- What is being tested?
- SCOT and CON
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteItaly
- Study dates
- 19 Jan 2021to 6 Dec 2022
- 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 65 to 90 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Cognitively healthy subjects aged above 65 years old
- Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) equivalent score > 1 (Italian normative values)
Who cannot join
- Diagnosis of dementia, based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, FifthEdition (DSM-V)
- History of current or previous neuropsychiatric disorders;
- History of current or previous substance abuse;
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Italy1 site
Centro Interdipartimentale Mente/Cervello - CIMeC
Rovereto, Trento, 38068
About this study
Official title: SCOT: An Online Intervention to Reduce Social Isolation and Promote Cognitive Well-being in the Elderly Population
Social isolation and reduced involvement in cognitive activities are associated with repercussions on cognitive well-being and health status in elderly adults. In particular, loneliness and social isolation represent risk factors in favouring cognitive decline and dementia. The Social Cognition Online Training (SCOT) project aims to evaluate the beneficial effects of an online intervention on social-cognitive functioning in healthy elderly subjects.
- Conditions
- Aging, Cognitive Decline
- Being tested
- SCOT, CON
- Medical subject headings
- Cognitive Dysfunction
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
SCOTBehavioural
A 8-week social and cognitive online training to improve both cognitive and social functioning, which includes 2 sessions (~45 minutes each) of individual cognitive training through the BrainHQ© program 2020 (BrainHQ© Posit Science) and a psycho-educational group session for each week (24 sessions in total).
In the experimental intervention, all activities are focused on enhancing executive functions (working memory, processing speed, inhibitory control etc.) and social cognition abilities (identifying/recognizing facial expressions, styles attribution, drawing conclusions etc.).
CONBehavioural
A 8-week active control intervention consisting of 2 sessions (~45 minutes each) of cognitive stimulation exercises and a group session for each week (24 sessions in total) during which the various cognitive domains are deepened and the exercises carried out during the week are reviewed all together.
The online control intervention has been specifically designed to increase the cognitive involvement of the subjects and to replicate the condition of exposure to social dynamics.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Social and Cognitive Online Training Group (SCOT) | Experimental | A group of participants randomly assigned to a social-cognitive online training through individual cognitive training sessions and group sessions to improve social functioning. Receives: Behavioral: SCOT |
| Control Group (CON) | Active comparator | A group of participants randomly assigned to receive an active control intervention to compare performances with the experimental group. Receives: Behavioral: CON |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
The Tower of London test (Boccia et al. 2017)
Accuracy (% of correct answers)
Measured: Day 0 - Month 3
Secondary outcomes (2)
Experimental task of emotion recognition
Accuracy (% of correct answers)
Measured: Day 0 - Month 3
Italian Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale
Minimum value: 18; Maximum value: 72; Higher scores mean a worse outcome in terms of perceived loneliness.
Measured: Day 0 - Month 3
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted26 Aug 2021
- Study start19 Jan 2021
- Primary completion9 Dec 2021
- Study completion6 Dec 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for AgingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Università degli Studi di Trento
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Costanza Papagno, Study director, Centro Interdipartimentale Mente/Cervello - CIMeCAlessandra Dodich, Principal investigator, Centro Interdipartimentale Mente/Cervello - CIMeC
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05023187
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Protocol 2020-036
- Acronym
- SCOT
- Status last verified
- Oct 2023
- First submitted
- 14 Jun 2021
- Last updated
- 13 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Funghi G, Meli C, Cavagna A, Bisoffi L, Zappini F, Papagno C, Dodich A. The Social and Cognitive Online Training (SCOT) project: A digital randomized controlled trial to promote socio-cognitive well-being in older adults. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2024 Jul;122:105405. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2024.105405. Epub 2024 Mar 5.
PubMed 38531149
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- SCOT: An Online Intervention to Reduce Social Isolation and Promote Cognitive Well-being in the Elderly Population
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05023187
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SCOT / Protocol 2020-036
- Conditions
- Aging, Cognitive Decline
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Università degli Studi di TrentoUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 19 Jan 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 9 Dec 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 6 Dec 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 26 Aug 2021 (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.
Social isolation and reduced involvement in cognitive activities are associated with repercussions on cognitive well-being and health status in elderly adults. In particular, loneliness and social isolation represent risk factors in favouring cognitive decline and dementia. The Social Cognition Online Training (SCOT) project aims to evaluate the beneficial effects of an online intervention on social-cognitive functioning in healthy elderly subjects.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Social and Cognitive Online Training Group (SCOT) | Experimental | Behavioral: SCOTA group of participants randomly assigned to a social-cognitive online training through individual cognitive training sessions and group sessions to improve social functioning. |
| Control Group (CON) | Active comparator | Behavioral: CONA group of participants randomly assigned to receive an active control intervention to compare performances with the experimental group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 65 to 90 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Cognitively healthy subjects aged above 65 years old
- Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) equivalent score > 1 (Italian normative values)
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Diagnosis of dementia, based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, FifthEdition (DSM-V)
- History of current or previous neuropsychiatric disorders;
- History of current or previous substance abuse;
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SCOTA 8-week social and cognitive online training to improve both cognitive and social functioning, which includes 2 sessions (~45 minutes each) of individual cognitive training through the BrainHQ© program 2020 (BrainHQ© Posit Science) and a psycho-educational group session for each week (24 sessions in total). In the experimental intervention, all activities are focused on enhancing executive functions (working memory, processing speed, inhibitory control etc.) and social cognition abilities (identifying/recognizing facial expressions, styles attribution, drawing conclusions etc.). | Behavioural | Social and Cognitive Online Training Group (SCOT) |
| CONA 8-week active control intervention consisting of 2 sessions (~45 minutes each) of cognitive stimulation exercises and a group session for each week (24 sessions in total) during which the various cognitive domains are deepened and the exercises carried out during the week are reviewed all together. The online control intervention has been specifically designed to increase the cognitive involvement of the subjects and to replicate the condition of exposure to social dynamics. | Behavioural | Control Group (CON) |
Primary outcome
The Tower of London test (Boccia et al. 2017)
Time frame: Day 0 - Month 3
Accuracy (% of correct answers)
2 secondary outcomes
Experimental task of emotion recognition
Time frame: Day 0 - Month 3
Italian Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale
Time frame: Day 0 - Month 3
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 13 Jul 2026.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 38531149Funghi G, Meli C, Cavagna A, Bisoffi L, Zappini F, Papagno C, Dodich A. The Social and Cognitive Online Training (SCOT) project: A digital randomized controlled trial to promote socio-cognitive well-being in older adults. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2024 Jul;122:105405. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2024.105405. Epub 2024 Mar 5.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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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.
Costanza Papagno study director
Centro Interdipartimentale Mente/Cervello - CIMeC
Alessandra Dodich principal investigator
Centro Interdipartimentale Mente/Cervello - CIMeC
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing SCOT and CON in people with Aging and Cognitive Decline, run by Università degli Studi di Trento at 1 site in Italy.
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 2 inclusion and 3 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 13 Jul 2026. 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 Italy. 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?
The Tower of London test (Boccia et al. 2017) (time frame: Day 0 - Month 3). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05023187, which also lists 1 linked publication.
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 13 Jul 2026.