DementiaETMW_DEMNCT06662578
Using Equine Therapy in Dementia Cognitive Stimulation
A study testing Traditional memory workshop and Equine assisted therapy memory workshops in people with Dementia, run by Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, Politécnico e Universitário at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if integrating equine therapy in memory workshops in mild to moderate Dementias can improve cognitive function, quality of life and mood. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 65 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Dementia
- What is being tested?
- Traditional memory workshop and Equine assisted therapy memory workshops
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 36 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- 3 Jun 2024to 30 Aug 2024
- 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 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Have been medically diagnosed with Major Neurocognitive Disorders
- Scores between 0.5 and 2 on the Cognitive Dementia Rating scale (CDR) (Berg, 1982)
- Adults of all genders, aged 65 and over; and
- Willingness to participate in a memory workshop; e) willingness to interact with a horse.
Who cannot join
- Expressed fear, aversion, or has had a negative experience with horses
- Allergy or other medical condition which did not allow contact with horses.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Exploring Neurocognitive Stimulation in Dementia Through Equine-Assisted Therapy: A RCT Pilot Study
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if integrating equine therapy in memory workshops in mild to moderate Dementias can improve cognitive function, quality of life and mood. The main question[s] it aims to answer is:
Does the mediation of a horse in memory workshops increase its effects ?
Read more
Researchers will compare traditional memory workshops, memory workshops using equine therapy and a control group to see if the equine therapy mediation will increase cognitive functions, mood and quality of life in individuals with mild to moderate Dementias.
Participants will participate in 8 weekly sessions of equine therapy memory workshops / traditional memory workshops / a control group will not have any interventions during that period. All subjects will be evaluated pre and post intervention period.
- Conditions
- Dementia
- Being tested
- Traditional memory workshop, Equine assisted therapy memory workshops
- Keywords
- Dementia, Equine therapy, Neurocognitive stimulation, Memory workshop, Quality of life, Alzheimer's, Depression
- Medical subject headings
- Dementia, Depression
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Traditional memory workshopOther
Also called neurocognitive stimulation, cognitive stimulation, memory workshops
The participants received 8 weekly sessions of 60 minutes of neurocognitive stimulation, based on French memory workshops.
Equine assisted therapy memory workshopsOther
Also called Animal assisted therapy, Equine therapy, neurocognitive stimulation, Equine mediation
The participants received 8 weekly sessions of 60 minutes, based on traditional memory workshops (French type of neurocognitive stimulation) with the mediation of a horse (example : working on associative memory by selecting which object is used for the horse between 2 presented objects).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control group | No intervention | Not described |
| Traditional memory workshop | Active comparator | Neurocognitive stimulation as usual Receives: Other: Traditional memory workshop |
| Equine assisted therapy memory workshop | Experimental | Neurocognitive stimulation mediated with a horse based on a defined protocol. Receives: Other: Equine assisted therapy memory workshops |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Cognitive Function as Assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
Pre and post-intervention period, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment was used to assess cognitive function.
Score range: 0 to 30; higher scores indicate better cognitive function
Measured: Baseline and ten weeks after
Secondary outcomes (2)
Change in Depression Symptoms as Assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15)
Assessment of depression levels pre and post-intervention using the Geriatric Depression Scale - 15 items Score range: 0 to 15; higher scores indicate more depressive symptoms (worse outcome).
Measured: Baseline and ten weeks after
Change in Quality of Life as Assessed by the Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QoL-AD NH)
Assessment of the quality of life pre and post intervention using the Quality of life in Alzheimer's Disease - Nursing homes .
The scale includes 15 items, each rated 1 to 4, for a total score ranging from 15 to 60; higher scores indicate better quality of life.
Measured: Baseline and ten weeks after
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Oct 2024
- Study start3 Jun 2024
- Primary completion30 Aug 2024
- Study completion30 Aug 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for DementiaStudies 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
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 36 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, Politécnico e Universitário
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Madeline Alford, Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, Politécnico e Universitário
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06662578
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 05/CE-UICS/2024
- Acronym
- ETMW_DEM
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 26 Oct 2024
- Last updated
- 18 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 18 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Exploring Neurocognitive Stimulation in Dementia Through Equine-Assisted Therapy: A RCT Pilot Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06662578
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ETMW_DEM / 05/CE-UICS/2024
- Conditions
- Dementia
- Keywords
- Dementia, Equine therapy, Neurocognitive stimulation, Memory workshop, Quality of life, Alzheimer's, Depression
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 36 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, Politécnico e UniversitárioUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 3 Jun 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Aug 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Aug 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 29 Oct 2024 (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.
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if integrating equine therapy in memory workshops in mild to moderate Dementias can improve cognitive function, quality of life and mood. The main question[s] it aims to answer is:
Does the mediation of a horse in memory workshops increase its effects ?
Researchers will compare traditional memory workshops, memory workshops using equine therapy and a control group to see if the equine therapy mediation will increase cognitive functions, mood and quality of life in individuals with mild to moderate Dementias.
Participants will participate in 8 weekly sessions of equine therapy memory workshops / traditional memory workshops / a control group will not have any interventions during that period. All subjects will be evaluated pre and post intervention period.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control group | No intervention | – |
| Traditional memory workshop | Active comparator | Other: Traditional memory workshopNeurocognitive stimulation as usual |
| Equine assisted therapy memory workshop | Experimental | Other: Equine assisted therapy memory workshopsNeurocognitive stimulation mediated with a horse based on a defined protocol. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 65 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Have been medically diagnosed with Major Neurocognitive Disorders
- Scores between 0.5 and 2 on the Cognitive Dementia Rating scale (CDR) (Berg, 1982)
- Adults of all genders, aged 65 and over; and
- Willingness to participate in a memory workshop; e) willingness to interact with a horse.
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Expressed fear, aversion, or has had a negative experience with horses
- Allergy or other medical condition which did not allow contact with horses.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional memory workshopAlso: neurocognitive stimulation, cognitive stimulation, memory workshopsThe participants received 8 weekly sessions of 60 minutes of neurocognitive stimulation, based on French memory workshops. | Other | Traditional memory workshop |
| Equine assisted therapy memory workshopsAlso: Animal assisted therapy, Equine therapy, neurocognitive stimulation, Equine mediationThe participants received 8 weekly sessions of 60 minutes, based on traditional memory workshops (French type of neurocognitive stimulation) with the mediation of a horse (example : working on associative memory by selecting which object is used for the horse between 2 presented objects). | Other | Equine assisted therapy memory workshop |
Primary outcome
Change in Cognitive Function as Assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
Time frame: Baseline and ten weeks after
Pre and post-intervention period, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment was used to assess cognitive function. Score range: 0 to 30; higher scores indicate better cognitive function
2 secondary outcomes
Change in Depression Symptoms as Assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15)
Time frame: Baseline and ten weeks after
Change in Quality of Life as Assessed by the Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QoL-AD NH)
Time frame: Baseline and ten weeks after
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 18 Mar 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Traditional memory workshop and Equine assisted therapy memory workshops in people with Dementia, run by Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, Politécnico e Universitário at 1 site in France.
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 4 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 18 Mar 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 France. 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?
Change in Cognitive Function as Assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) (time frame: Baseline and ten weeks after). 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 18 Mar 2026.