Cognitive Training for Older Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Brill Esther, Holfelder Alexa, Falkner Michael, Krebs Christine, Brem Anna-Katharine, Klöppel Stefan
Primary Institution: University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Switzerland
Hypothesis
After 3 months of computerised cognitive training (CCT), participants will outperform those in the active control group on cognitive composite scores.
Conclusion
The study shows no benefits of 3 months of CCT on cognitive or biological outcomes, but positive subjective effects were observed after long-term CCT.
Supporting Evidence
- Participants showed significant subjective improvements in cognitive performance during the study.
- High adherence to the training protocol was observed across all groups.
- Significant improvements in episodic memory were noted in the intervention group after 9 months.
Takeaway
This study tested a video game-like training to help older people think better, but it didn't show clear improvements in brain scans or test scores after three months.
Methodology
A bi-centric randomised controlled trial with 160 participants, comparing CCT with an active control (watching documentaries) and a waitlist condition over 9 months.
Potential Biases
Potential bias from attrition was minimized, but the high drop-out rate in the active control group may indicate issues with participant engagement.
Limitations
The study did not show significant group differences in cognitive outcomes, and the sample consisted mostly of participants with high baseline cognitive performance.
Participant Demographics
Mean age of participants was 71.3 years, with a mix of subjective cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.009
Confidence Interval
95% CI −0.10 to 0.77
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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