scholarly journals A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS OF COGNITIVE TRAINING INTERVENTIONS IN OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S657-S657
Author(s):  
Ayse Malatyali ◽  
Carol Reive ◽  
Christine Williams

Abstract There has been a growing interest in cognitive training interventions for their potential effect of maintaining and promoting cognitive functioning in older adults. Rapid and significant changes in technology has had a significant impact on the design and assessment methods of cognitive training interventions. Investigating changes in brain networks and blood markers are relatively new approaches and sparsely examined in the literature. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to analyze the effect of cognitive training interventions on brain networks, blood markers and associated cognitive performance of healthy older adults. We conducted a comprehensive literature search on four databases, following PRISMA guidelines. Initially, 2426 citations were retrieved, and 251 full-text publications were evaluated in detail for eligibility. Fourteen randomized control trials were included in this review. Functional imaging analysis of brain networks showed significant activity changes primarily in the Default Mode Network. These changes were associated with improvement in memory, learning, attention, and affective performances. Also, there were activity changes in the Central Executive Network that were associated with improvement in reasoning, attentional control, innovative thinking, and processing speed. Training-induced changes have been observed in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and the markers of antioxidative and anti-inflammatory regulatory mechanisms. Improvement in attention and memory performances were significantly related to these changes. Limitations of the studies included methodological inconsistencies, sampling issues, and the lack of long-term follow up assessment. Cognitive training appears to promote improvement and maintenance of cognitive functioning in healthy older adults.

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 1032-1035
Author(s):  
Antonia Yaneva ◽  
Nonka Mateva

Cognitive interventions, especially cognitive training, may improve cognitive functions in healthy older adults. Computerized cognitive training platforms offer several advantages over traditional programs for cognitive training and stimulation. The focus of this article is the methodology of the studies that apply a particular online training program. We investigate the effectiveness of several studies for cognitive training in healthy elderly people and evaluate reported outcomes and potential bias and what factors determine, influence or contribute to the positive or negative results. The post-intervention scores demonstrate that computerized cognitive training may enhance some cognitive functions and the overall cognitive status but there is need for additional research to prove its effectiveness.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas Matias Felix ◽  
Marcela Mansur Alves ◽  
Mariana Teles ◽  
Laura Jamison ◽  
Hudson Golino

This paper reports the results from a three-years follow-up study to access the long-term efficacy of a cognitive training for healthy older adults and investigates the effects of booster sessions on the cognitive performance of the participants using an innovative analytical approach from information theory. Design: semi-randomized quasi-experimental controlled design. Participants: 50 healthy older adults, (M = 73.3, SD = 7.77) were assigned into an experimental (N = 25; Mean age = 73.9; SD = 8.62) and a passive control group (N = 25; mean age = 72.9; SD = 6.97). Instruments: six subtests of WAIS and two episodic memory tasks. Procedures: the participants were assessed in four occasions: after the end of the original intervention, pre-booster sessions (three years after the original intervention), immediately after the booster sessions and three months after the booster sessions. Results: the repeated measures ANOVA showed that two gains reported in the original intervention were identified in the follow-up: Coding (F(1, 44) = 11.79, MSE = 0.77, p = .001, ηˆG2 = .084) and Picture Completion (F(1, 47) = 10.01, MSE = 0.73, p = .003, ηˆG2 = .060). After the booster sessions, all variables presented a significant interaction between group and time favorable to the experimental group (moderate to high effect sizes). To compare the level of cohesion of the cognitive variables between the groups, an entropy-based metric was used. The experimental group presented a lower level of cohesion in three of the four measurement occasions, suggesting a differential impact of the intervention with immediate and short-term effects, but without long-term effects.


2017 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana Teles Santos Golino ◽  
Carmen Flores Mendoza ◽  
Hudson Fernandes Golino

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to determine the immediate effects of cognitive training on healthy older adults and verify the transfer effects of targeted and non-targeted abilities. The design consisted of a semi-randomized clinical controlled trial. The final sample was composed of 80 volunteers recruited from a Brazilian community (mean age = 69.69; SD = 7.44), which were separated into an intervention group (N = 47; mean age = 69.66, SD = 7.51) and a control group (N = 33; mean age = 69.73, SD = 7.45). Intervention was characterized by adaptive cognitive training with 12 individual training sessions of 60 to 90 minutes (once a week). Eight instruments were used to assess effects of cognitive training. Five were used to assess trained abilities (near effects), including: Memorization Tests (List and History), Picture Completion, Digit Span, Digit Symbol-Coding, and Symbol Search (the last four from WAIS-III). Two instruments assessed untrained abilities (far effects): Arithmetic and Matrix Reasoning (WAIS-III). The non-parametric repeated measures ANOVA test revealed a significant interaction between group by time interaction for Picture Completion [F(74) = 14.88, p = .0002, d = 0.90, CLES = 73.69%], Digit Symbol-Coding [F(74) = 5.66, p = .019, d = 0.55, CLES = 65.21%] and Digit Span [F(74) = 5.38, p = .02, d = 0.54, CLES = 64.85%], suggesting an interventional impact on these performance tasks. The results supported near transfer effects, but did not demonstrate a far transfer effects.


Author(s):  
P. Srisuwan ◽  
D. Nakawiro ◽  
S. Chansirikarnjana ◽  
O. Kuha ◽  
S. Kengpanich ◽  
...  

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.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lifu Deng ◽  
Yan Cheng ◽  
Xinyi Cao ◽  
Wei Feng ◽  
Hong Zhu ◽  
...  

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