Effect of memory impairment on training outcomes in ACTIVE

Cognitive training improves mental abilities in older adults, but the trainability of persons with memory impairment is unclear. We conducted a subgroup analysis of subjects in the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) trial to examine this issue. ACTIVE enrolled 2802 non-demented, community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older and randomly assigned them to one of four groups: Memory training, reasoning training, speed-of-processing training, or no-contact control. For this study, participants were defined as memory-impaired if baseline Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) sum recall score was 1.5 SD or more below predicted AVLT sum recall score from a regression-derived formula using age, education, ethnicity, and vocabulary from all subjects at baseline. Assessments were taken at baseline (BL), post-test, first annual (A1), and second annual (A2) follow-up. One hundred and ninety-three subjects were defined as memory-impaired and 2580 were memory-normal. Training gain as a function memory status (impaired vs. normal) was compared in a mixed effects model. Results indicated that memory-impaired participants failed to benefit from Memory training but did show normal training gains after reasoning and speed training. Memory function appears to mediate response to structured cognitive interventions in older adults. (JINS, 2007, 13, 953–960.)

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COMPUTERIZED COGNITIVE TRAINING, WITH OR WITHOUT EXERCISE, TO PROMOTE COGNITIVE FUNCTION: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.215 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S55-S56

Author(s):

Lisanne F ten Brinke ◽

John R Best ◽

Joey L Chan ◽

Cheyenne Ghag ◽

Kirk I Erickson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Physical Exercise ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

Verbal Learning ◽

Stroop Test ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Computerized Cognitive Training ◽

Improved Performance ◽

At Home

Abstract Given the world’s aging population, it is important to identify strategies that promote healthy cognitive aging. Computerized cognitive training (CCT) may be a promising method to combat cognitive decline in older adults. Moreover, physical exercise immediately prior to CCT might provide additional cognitive benefits. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to examine the effect of a CCT intervention, alone or preceded by physical exercise, on memory and executive functions in older adults. 124 community-dwelling older adults aged 65-85 years were randomly assigned to either 8-weeks of: 1) 3x/week group-based CCT plus 3x/week CCT sessions at home; 2) 3x/week group-based CCT combined with a 15-minute brisk walk (Ex-CCT) plus 3x/week Ex-CCT sessions at home; or 3)3x/week group-based sham exercise and education sessions (CON). At baseline and 8-weeks standard neuropsychological tests of verbal memory and learning and executive functions were administered, including the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Stroop test, Flanker test, Trail Making Tests (TMT B-A), and Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) Test. At trial completion, there were no differences in RAVLT performance. Compared with CON, FBT and Ex-FBT participants significantly improved performance on the Stroop test (p = .001 and p = .023, respectively). Additionally, those randomized to Ex-CCT improved performance on the Flanker test (p = .002), TMT B-A (p = .047), and the DCCS Test (p = .023) compared with BAT. These findings suggest that an 8-week CCT program could benefit executive functions, and that implementing exercise immediately prior to CCT could provide broader benefits.

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A Novel Touch-Screen, Dual-Language Intervention Program for Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1839 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 559-559

Author(s):

W Quin Yow ◽

Hui-Ching Chen ◽

Tharshini Lokanathan ◽

Attila Achenbach ◽

Lucienne Blessing

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Semantic Memory ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

Dual Language ◽

Intervention Program ◽

Verbal Learning ◽

Verbal Working Memory ◽

Touch Screen ◽

Language Intervention

Abstract Although cognitive training in healthy older adults (OA) has been controversial, specific and isolated cognitive skills such as semantic memory can be improved with appropriate designs. Semantic memory has been considered as a clinical marker for cognitive decline in dementia. The current study, as part of a larger touch-screen dual-language intervention program with cognitive training tools, aims to slow down the rate of cognitive decline in OA with dementia (OwD). A set of neuropsychological tests was conducted before and after the training program. After 24 training sessions over 8-12 weeks, OwD (11 females, 1 male, mean=85.8yo) improved significantly in their verbal working memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test; RAVLT) while performance of the cognitive-healthy OA (5 females, 3 males, mean=76.3yo) remained the same post-intervention. Our findings suggest that touch-screen technology can help OwD improve their semantic memory. The strengths and limitations of our game design and intervention will be discussed. Part of a symposium sponsored by Technology and Aging Interest Group.

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EFFECTS OF COMPUTERIZED COGNITIVE TRAINING ON GAIT SPEED IN COMMUNITY DWELLING OLDER ADULTS, A PILOT STUDY

Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease ◽

10.14283/jpad.2016.102 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

J. Blackwood ◽

T. Houston

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

Gait Speed ◽

Independent Living ◽

Functional Decline ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Computerized Cognitive Training ◽

Home Based ◽

Improved Function ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Background: In older adults declines in gait speed have been identified as predictors of functional decline and have been found in those with cognitive dysfunction. Cognitive training interventions that emphasize addressing executive function (EF) have resulted in a transfer effect from training cognitive processes into improved function. However research examining the effects of an EF specific computerized cognitive training (CCT) program on gait speed (GS) is limited. Objectives: To compare the effects of a six week EF specific CCT program on GS in community dwelling older adults using a pretest/posttest experimental design with subgroup comparisons based on a cutoff GS of 1.0m/s. Setting: Home based Participants: Forty independent living older adults (>65 years) without diagnosed cognitive impairment participated in either the intervention or control groups. Intervention: A six week long progressively challenging EF focused CCT program was performed at home. Measurements: Demographic variables, cognitive function (Trail-Making Test Part B) and GS were measured at baseline at week 7. Between group comparisons were completed for the whole sample initially with subgroup comparisons performed based on participants’ initial GS (Slow walkers: GS<1.0m/s; Fast Walkers: GS>1.0m/s). Results: No differences in GS were found for the whole population, but subgroup analyses restricted to slow walkers demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in GS after 6 weeks of CCT (µ =0.33 m/s, p = 0.03). Other outcomes measures were not statistically different at posttest. Conclusions: Older adults who walk at speeds <1.0m/s may benefit from a progressively challenging CCT program when self-administered in the home.

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Different Modulatory Effects of Cognitive Training and Aerobic Exercise on Resting State Functional Connectivity of Entorhinal Cortex in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnagi.2021.655245 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Author(s):

NanNan Gu ◽

Hechun Li ◽

Xinyi Cao ◽

Ting Li ◽

Lijuan Jiang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Aerobic Exercise ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

Training Group ◽

Exercise Group ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Index Score ◽

Angular Gyrus ◽

The Right ◽

Left Angular Gyrus

The entorhinal cortex (EC) plays an essential role in age-related cognitive decline. However, the effect of functional connectivity (FC) changes between EC and other cerebral cortices on cognitive function remains unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the modulation of two interventions (cognitive training and aerobic exercise) on EC-FC in community-dwelling older adults. In total, 94 healthy older adults aged between 65 and 75 years were assigned to either the cognitive training or aerobic exercise group to receive 24 sessions over 12 weeks, or to a control group. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed at both baseline and 12-month follow-up. Compared to the cognitive training group, the aerobic exercise group showed greater EC-FC in the bilateral middle temporal gyrus, right supramarginal gyrus, left angular gyrus, and right postcentral gyrus. Compared to the control group, the cognitive training group had a decreased EC-FC in the right hippocampus, right middle temporal gyrus, left angular gyrus, and right postcentral gyrus and an increased EC-FC in the bilateral pallidum, while the aerobic exercise group showed increased EC-FC between the right medial prefrontal cortex(mPFC), bilateral pallidum, and right precuneus. Baseline EC-FC in the mPFC was positively correlated with the visuospatial/constructional index score of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status. In the cognitive training group, EC-FC value changes in the right hippocampus were negatively correlated with changes in the RBANS delayed memory index score, while in the aerobic exercise group, EC-FC value changes in the left angular gyrus were positively correlated with changes in the RBANS attention index score. These findings support the hypothesis that both cognitive training and aerobic exercise can modulate EC-FC in aging populations but through different neural pathways.

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EXPLORING FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO JOINING AND REGULARLY PRACTICING IN COGNITIVE TRAINING AMONG HEALTHY OLDER ADULTS: A ONE-YEAR FOLLOW-UP QUALITATIVE STUDY

Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease ◽

10.14283/jpad.2020.14 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

P. Srisuwan ◽

D. Nakawiro ◽

S. Chansirikarnjana ◽

O. Kuha ◽

S. Kengpanich ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

Individual Characteristics ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Notification System ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Effective Program ◽

One Year ◽

At Home

BACKGROUND: Cognitive interventions have the potential to enhance cognition among healthy older adults. However, little is known of the factors associated with the joining and participating of older people in group-based multicomponent cognitive training (CT). OBJECTIVES: To explore factors that contribute to joining and regularly practicing CT over 1 year among healthy older adults. DESIGN: A qualitative study. SETTING: Geriatric clinic in Bangkok, Thailand. PARTICIPANTS: 40 nondemented community-dwelling older adults INTERVENTION: The CT of executive functions, attention, memory and visuospatial functions (TEAM-V) program was conducted over 5 sessions, with a 2-week interval between each session. MEASUREMENTS: An inductive qualitative approach, based on semi-structure interviews with 40 healthy older adults, was employed. The interviews explored factors of joining CT at baseline, factors of regularly participating in class at 6 months and at home at 1 year. Data were coded and analyzed using and the thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: After analyzing factors concerning joining CT, 3 core themes emerged: (1) individual characteristics with 3 subthemes of “health status”, “time arrangement”, and “financial status”; (2) individual perceptions with 2 subthemes of “perceived susceptibility to dementia” and “perceived severity of dementia” and (3) encouragement from families and friends. After analyzing factors of practicing CT in class, 3 core themes emerged: (1) program with 3 subthemes of “session”, “group facilitators” and “notification before class”; (2) accessibility with 2 subthemes of “distance” and “transportation” and (3) encouragement from families and friends. After analyzing factors of practicing CT at home, 2 core themes emerged: (1) contents of the training program and (2) encouragement from families and friends. CONCLUSIONS: Increased awareness of holistic factors including older adults’ characteristic and perceptions, support from families and friends and accessibility should be emphasized in planning CT. Designing the content of CT that could be applied or adapted in daily living and effective program components such as a notification system could increase practicing.

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EFFECTS OF ADAPTIVE COMPUTER-BASED COGNITIVE TRAINING ON COMMUNITY-DWELLING ELDERS

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.918 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S244-S244

Author(s):

Guifang Guo ◽

Huijuan Gongzhi

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Training ◽

Digit Span ◽

Memory Function ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Control Group ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Computer Based ◽

And Control ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract This quasi-experimental designed study analyzed the effects of adaptive computer-based cognitive training among community-dwelling older adults. A 6-week (5 times/week) program was implemented with an intervention group (Difficulty Adaptive Training) and control group (Difficulty Fixed Training). General cognitive, memory, executive and attention functions were evaluated before (T1), completion (T2), and one month after intervention (T3). Sixty-one participants completed data collection. (1) General cognitive function: improved in both groups at T2, and T3, intervention group had better effect; (2) Memory function: improved in both groups in immediate, short and long-delayed recalls at T2 and T3, and recognition at T2. (3) Executive function: improved in both groups. Time of simple information processing was shortened at T2 and T3 in intervention group, at T3 in control group; TMT response inhibition was shortened at T2 and T3 in both groups. (4) Attention function: digit span forward was improved at T2 in intervention group.

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Strategy mediation in working memory training in younger and older adults

Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology ◽

10.1177/1747021820915107 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 73 (8) ◽

pp. 1206-1226 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alicia Forsberg ◽

Daniel Fellman ◽

Matti Laine ◽

Wendy Johnson ◽

Robert H Logie

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Age Groups ◽

Training Session ◽

Cognitive Capacity ◽

Memory Training ◽

Training Strategy ◽

Before And After ◽

Post Test

Working memory (WM) training with the N-Back task has been argued to improve cognitive capacity and general cognitive abilities (the Capacity Hypothesis of training), although several studies have shown little or no evidence for such improvements beyond tasks that are very similar to the trained task. Laine et al. demonstrated that instructing young adult participants to use a specific visualisation strategy for N-back training resulted in clear, generalised benefits from only 30 min of training (Strategy Mediation Hypothesis of training). Here, we report a systematic replication and extension of the Laine et al. study, by administering 60 younger and 60 older participants a set of WM tasks before and after a 30-min N-back training session. Half the participants were instructed to use a visualisation strategy, the others received no instruction. The pre-post test battery encompassed a criterion task (digit N-back), two untrained tasks N-back tasks (letters and colours), and three structurally different WM tasks. The instructed visualisation strategy significantly boosted at least some measures of N-back performance in participants of both age groups, although the strategy generally appeared more difficult to implement and less beneficial for older adults. However, the strategy did not improve performance on structurally different WM tasks. We also found significant associations between N-back performance and the type and level of detail of self-generated strategies in the uninstructed participants, as well as age group differences in reported strategy types. WM performance appeared to partly reflect the application of strategies, and Strategy Mediation should be considered to understand the mechanisms of WM training. Claims of efficient training should demonstrate useful improvement beyond task-specific strategies.

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Effects of virtual reality-based spatial cognitive training on hippocampal function of older adults with mild cognitive impairment

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610220001131 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Jin-Hyuck Park

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Episodic Memory ◽

Spatial Cognition ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

Verbal Learning ◽

Cognitive Intervention ◽

Hippocampal Function

ABSTRACT Background: To date, there is a controversy on effects of cognitive intervention to maintain or improve hippocampal function for older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Objective: The main objective of this study was to exam effects of virtual reality-based spatial cognitive training (VR-SCT) using VR on hippocampal function of older adults with MCI. Method: Fifty-six older adults with MCI were randomly allocated to the experimental group (EG) that received the VR-SCT or the waitlist control group (CG) for a total of 24 sessions. To investigate effects of the VR-SCT on spatial cognition and episodic memory, the Weschsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised Block Design Test (WAIS-BDT) and the Seoul Verbal Learning Test (SVLT) were used. Results: During the sessions, the training performances gradually increased (p < .001). After the intervention, the EG showed significant greater improvements in the WAIS-BDT (p < .001, η2 = .667) and recall of the SVLT (p < .05, η2 =.094) compared to the CG but in recognition of the SVLT (p > .05, η2 =.001). Conclusion: These results suggest that the VR-SCT might be clinically beneficial to enhance spatial cognition and episodic memory of older adults with MCI.

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META-ANALYSIS OF INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR AMONG OLDER ADULTS

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.3183 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S867-S868

Author(s):

Jennifer A Otmanowski ◽

Sheri A Rowland ◽

Pamela S Cooper ◽

Jo-Ana D Chase

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Future Research ◽

High Risk Population ◽

Significant Heterogeneity ◽

Sedentary Population ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Post Test

Abstract ABSTRACT BODY Sedentary behavior (SB) is associated with substantial health risks such as increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, diabetes, and cognitive and physical functioning decline. Older adults are particularly at risk as they are the most sedentary population. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the overall effects of interventions designed to reduce SB among older adults. A comprehensive literature search of online databases, bibliographies, and author searches located published and unpublished studies. Included studies tested interventions to reduce SB time, were written in English, and focused on community-dwelling adults age 60 years or older. Data were extracted on sample, study design, and intervention characteristics using an investigator-developed tool. Study effect sizes were synthesized using a random effects model. Heterogeneity of effects across studies was examined; however, moderator analyses were not conducted due to the small number of included studies. Of the 2,408 reviewed citations, 22 reports were included representing 17 distinct studies, eight of which were included in the two-group post-test meta-analysis (n= 1,024 participants). Interventions overall modestly reduced SB time among older adults (d=-.25, 95% CI [-.50, .00], p=.05); however, significant heterogeneity of effect size was observed across studies (Q=22.34, p<.01). Our findings demonstrate a need for more research targeting SB reduction in this high-risk population. Future research should include measures of breaks in sedentary time and types of SB (e.g., watching TV, reading) which are also critical indicators of health risk. Moreover, further exploration of relationships between health outcomes and SB intervention effects is needed.

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