Activo Neuro Research Project

Design and development of digital tools for the management of patients with Huntington's disease

Group :  Information, Signal, Image and Life Sciences

Labelling: none

Duration: 2023 - 2024

Funding: Région Pays de la Loire with Cancéropôle du Grand Ouest (CGO)

Staff involved from LARIS: Anne HEURTIER, Paul RICHARD, Julien GODARD PhD Student)

Project partners: LPPL (University of Angers), MIP (University of Le Mans), CHU d'Angers and the support of UserLab (University of Angers).

Abstract and objectives

Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease. Clinically manifesting itself generally from 40-50 years of age, it leads to the development of motor disorders (choreic movements, balance disorders, walking disorders, etc.) but also cognitive (executive functions, attention, working memory, etc.) and psychiatric (depression, apathy, irritability, anhedonia, antisocial behavior). These signs will progressively worsen until grabatization and severe intellectual and behavioral deterioration.

Physical exercises and cognitive stimulation are nowadays relevant axes for the management and reduction of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional symptoms (Mino et al., 2018; Borges-Machado et al., 2021; Saragih et al., 2022). In this context, some preliminary programs that have proposed coupling physical exercise and cognitive stimulation have shown encouraging results (Fabel et al., 2009; Law et al., 2014; Karssemeijer et al., 2019). However, to date, no work has examined the effects of a sustainable management program coupling physical exercise and cognitive stimulation on symptomatology, functional autonomy, and quality of life in patients with Huntington's disease.

The objective of our research project is to design and develop innovative digital tools to combine physical activities and cognitive stimulation in playful and evolving environments. Intended for the care of patients with Huntington's disease, these tools can be adapted, used and deployed for the care of patients with other neurodegenerative diseases or strokes (adults and children).

This project follows the CoMoN project, which initiated a collaboration between the LARIS and LPPL laboratories (University of Angers), MIP (Le Mans University) and the Angers University Hospital. It is part of the "Engineering and Health" SAM (Sarthe-Anjou-Mayenne) network.

References:

Borges-Machado, F., Silva, N., Farinatti, P., Poton, R., Ribeiro, Ó., & Carvalho, J. (2021). Effectiveness of multicomponent exercise interventions in older adults with dementia: A meta-analysis. The Gerontologist, 61(8), e449–e462.

Fabel, K., Wolf, S.A., Ehninger, D., Babu, H., Leal-Galicia, P., & Kempermann, G. (2009). Additive effects of physical exercise and environmental enrichment on adult hippocampal neurogenesis in mice. Frontiers in Neurosciences, 3, 50.9.

Karssemeijer, E., Aaronson, J. A., Bossers, W., Donders, R., Olde Rikkert, M., & Kessels, R. (2019). The quest for synergy between physical exercise and cognitive stimulation via exergaming in people with dementia: a randomized controlled trial. Alzheimer's Research & Therapy, 11(1), 3.

Law, L.L., Barnett, F., Yau, M.K., & Gray, M.A. (2014). Effects of combined cognitive and exercise interventions on cognition in older adults with and without cognitive impairment: A systematic review. Ageing Research Review, 15, 61-75.

Mino, J.C., Muller, J.D., & Ricard, J.M. (2018). Soin du corps, soin de soi. Activité physique adaptée en santé. Paris : Presses Universitaires de France.

Saragih, I.D., Tonapa, S.I., Saragih, I.S., & Lee, B.O. (2022). Effects of cognitive stimulation therapy for people with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 128, 104181.