Protecting cognition from aging and Alzheimer's disease: a computerized cognitive training combined with reminiscence therapy

• DOI: 10.1002/gps.4328
• Publication Date: 2015-07-23T16:39:45Z
• Authors: Francesco Barban; Roberta Annicchia...; Stelios Pantelopo...; Alessia Federici; Roberta Perri; Lucia Fadda; Giovanni Augusto ...; Claudia Ricci; Simone Giuli; Francesco Scalici; Chiara Stella Tur...; Fulvia Adriano; Maria Giovanna Lo...; Chiara Zaccarelli; Giulio Cirillo; Simone Passuti; Paolo Mattarelli; Olga Lymperopoulou; Paraskevi Sakka; Eva Ntanasi; Reyes Moliner; Azucena Garcia-Pa...; Carlo Caltagirone
• Keywords: Verbal fluency test; Cognitive Training; Boston Naming Test; Reminiscence; Trail Making Test

Objective The aim of this paper was to assess the efficacy process-based cognitive training (pb-CT) combined with reminiscence therapy (RT) in patients mild Alzheimer's disease (mAD) and impairment (MCI) healthy elderly (HE) subjects. Methods This multicenter, randomized, controlled trial involved 348 participants mAD, MCI, HE from four European countries. Participants were randomly assigned two arms a crossover design: those arm A underwent 3 months computerized pb-CT for memory executive functions RT rest; B reverse. primary outcome effect on performance. secondary functional abilities mAD assessed instrumental activities daily living. Results We found significant all three groups delayed recall Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test phonological fluency test. MCI maintained these effects at follow-up. also showed Mini-mental state examination scale. more stable living during versus rest period. Conclusions Our results corroborate positive its maintenance primarily that did not seem be potentiated by RT. Moreover, our are very promising participants. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.