The effects of multi-domain versus single-domain cognitive training in non-demented older people: a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Whether healthy older people can benefit from cognitive training (CogTr) remains controversial. This study explored the benefits of CogTr in community dwelling, healthy, older adults and compared the effects of single-domain with multi-domain CogTr interventions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A randomized, controlled, 3-month trial of CogTr with double-blind assessments at baseline and immediate, 6-month and 12-month follow-up after training completion was conducted. A total of 270 healthy Chinese older people, 65 to 75 years old, were recruited from the Ganquan-area community in Shanghai. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: multi-domain CogTr, single-domain CogTr, and a wait-list control group. Twenty-four sessions of CogTr were administrated to the intervention groups over a three-month period. Six months later, three booster training sessions were offered to 60% of the initial training participants. The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS, Form A), the Color Word Stroop test (CWST), the Visual Reasoning test and the Trail Making test (TMT) were used to assess cognitive function.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Multi-domain CogTr produced statistically significant training effects on RBANS, visual reasoning, and immediate and delayed memory, while single-domain CogTr showed training effects on RBANS, visual reasoning, word interference, and visuospatial/constructional score (all <it>P </it>< 0.05). At the 12-month posttest, the multi-domain CogTr showed training effects on RBANS, delayed memory and visual reasoning, while single-domain CogTr only showed effects on word interference. Booster training resulted in effects on RBANS, visual reasoning, time of trail making test, and visuospatial/constructional index score.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Cognitive training can improve memory, visual reasoning, visuospatial construction, attention and neuropsychological status in community-living older people and can help maintain their functioning over time. Multi-domain CogTr enhanced memory proficiency, while single-domain CogTr augmented visuospatial/constructional and attention abilities. Multi-domain CogTr had more advantages in training effect maintenance.</p> <p>Clinical Trial Registration</p> <p>Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. Registration number: ChiCTR-TRC-09000732.</p

Packages of Care for Dementia in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

In the fifth in a series of six articles on packages of care for mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries, Martin Prince and colleagues discuss the treatment of dementia

Vascular Cognitive Impairment: Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications

The prevalence of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is likely to increase as the population ages and cardiovascular disease survival improves. We provide an overview of the definition and disease mechanisms of VCI and present a systematic literature review of the current evidence for the pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies used to treat the VCI symptoms of cognitive dysfunction or to modify VCI through primary and secondary prevention. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was searched from 2005 to October 2010 using the keywords “vascular dementia” or “vascular cognitive impairment and therapy.” MEDLINE was searched for English-language articles published within the last 10 years using the combined Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) “therapeutics and dementia,” “vascular” or “vascular cognitive impairment.” Although cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine produce small cognitive improvements in patients with VCI, these drugs do not improve global clinical outcomes and have adverse effects and costs. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers may improve short-term cognitive function in patients with VCI. Anti-hypertensive therapy with an ACE inhibitor-based regimen and statins may prevent the major subtype of VCI known as poststroke cognitive decline. Clinical and effectiveness studies with long-term follow-up are needed to determine the benefits and risks of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies to prevent and treat VCI. Given its growing health, social, and economic burden, the prevention and treatment of VCI are critical priorities for clinical care and research