Puzzle power: study tests if play sharpens spatial skills in down syndrome
NCT ID NCT05332912
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looked at whether doing spatial activities like puzzles, block building, and hide-and-seek can improve mental rotation and perspective-taking in people with Down syndrome. 84 adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome, plus typically developing children, took part. After up to eight sessions of these activities, researchers measured changes in spatial abilities to see if they could be trained.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward simple, fun activities that help people with Down syndrome improve everyday skills like navigating and using tools.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early study with only 84 participants and no control group, so results may not be widely applicable. The improvements seen might not last or translate to real-world benefits.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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84 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Apr 2021
- Finished
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Mar 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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4 to 25 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Typically Developing Children ages 4.0 years to 9.0 years * Individuals with Down Syndrome ages 10.0 - 25.0 * Verbal Comprehension Ability at 4.0 years or above Exclusion Criteria: * Inability to follow verbal instructions * Inability of use tablet computer
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35405, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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