Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Mar;29(2):150-8.
doi: 10.1177/1533317513506775.

Feasibility and efficacy of intensive cognitive training in early-stage Alzheimer's disease

Saddam F Kanaan  1 , Joan M McDowd, Yvonne Colgrove, Jeffery M Burns, Byron Gajewski, Patricia S Pohl
Affiliations

Feasibility and efficacy of intensive cognitive training in early-stage Alzheimer's disease

Saddam F Kanaan et al. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2014 Mar.

Abstract

Cognitive training may be beneficial for individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, the effects are modest with little evidence of carryover. Prior studies included limited hours and low intensity of training. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility and efficacy of many hours of intensive cognitive training with adults in the early stages of AD. Twenty-one adults with very mild or mild AD participated in cognitive training for 10 days over 2 weeks with 4 to 5 hours of training each day. Participants significantly improved in practiced computer-based tasks including those involving working memory, sustained attention, and switching attention. Outcome measures that improved included the Mini-Mental State Examination, letter fluency, and 3 of 5 Trail-Making Tests. Gains in outcome measures were maintained at 2- and 4-month follow-up. Adults in early-stage AD can participate in intensive cognitive training and make modest gains in both practiced and unpracticed cognitive tasks.

Keywords: brain plasticity; cognitive rehabilitation; cognitive training; dementia; memory and attention training.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

References

    1. Hebert LE, Scherr PA, Bienias JL, Bennett DA, Evans DA. Alzheimer disease in the US population: prevalence estimates using the 2000 census. Arch Neurol. 2003;60(8):1119–1122. - PubMed
    1. Jean L, Bergeron ME, Thivierge S, Simard M. Cognitive intervention programs for individuals with mild cognitive impairment: systematic review of the literature. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2010;18(4):281–296. - PubMed
    1. Sitzer DI, Twamley EW, Jeste DV. Cognitive training in Alzheimer's disease: a meta-analysis of the literature. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2006;114(2):75–90. - PubMed
    1. Clare L, Woods RT, Moniz Cook ED, Orrell M, Spector A. Cognitive rehabilitation and cognitive training for early-stage Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;(4):CD003260. - PubMed
    1. Belleville S. Cognitive training for persons with mild cognitive impairment. Int Psychogeriatr. 2000;20(1):57–66. - PubMed

Publication types