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
. 2015 Aug;47(4):247-54.
doi: 10.1097/JNN.0000000000000147.

Feasibility of a Home-Based Speed of Processing Training Program in Middle-Aged and Older Adults With HIV

Shameka L Cody  1 , Pariya L Fazeli, David E Vance
Affiliations

Feasibility of a Home-Based Speed of Processing Training Program in Middle-Aged and Older Adults With HIV

Shameka L Cody et al. J Neurosci Nurs. 2015 Aug.

Abstract

There has been much optimism over the positive impact of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on life expectancy for people with HIV; however, those aging with HIV fear potential day-to-day challenges associated with the development of cognitive deficits. The presence of cognitive deficits has generated major safety concerns because it has been shown to impact driving, mobility, and employment. Given the efficacy of a computerized speed of processing training program administered in the laboratory to older adults and adults with HIV, this study was designed to determine the feasibility of using a home-based speed of processing training program to improve cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults with HIV. In this within-subject pre-post experimental design, 20 middle-aged and older adults (i.e., age of 40+ years) with HIV were administered a brief neuropsychological assessment to gauge their baseline cognitive function before participating in a 10-hour home-based computerized cognitive remediation training program. In addition to self-reported cognitive gains, a 6-week posttest indicated significant improvements on the Useful Field of View, a measure of speed of processing and possible transfer to the Timed Instrumental Activities of Daily Living test, a measure of everyday functioning. These findings show that speed of processing training can successfully improve cognitive function in this vulnerable population even when administered in remote settings such as the privacy of one's home.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Arias P, Robles-García V, Espinosa N, Corral Y, Cudeiro J. Validity of the finger tapping test in Parkinson's disease, elderly and young healthy subjects: Is there a role for central fatigue? Clinical Neurophysiology. 2012;123(10):2034–2041. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2012.04.001. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ball K, Berch DB, Helmers KF, Jobe JB, Leveck MD, Marsiske M, Vital Elderly Study, G. Effects of cognitive training interventions with older adults: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of American Medical Association. 2002;288(18):2271–2281. doi:10.1001/jama.288.18.2271. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ball K, Edwards JD, Ross LA. The impact of speed of processing training on cognitive and everyday functions. Journals of Gerontology. Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 2007;62(Spec No 1):19–31. - PubMed
    1. Ciccarelli N, Fabbiani M, Baldonero E, Fanti I, Cauda R, Di Giambenedetto S, Silveri MC. Effect of aging and human immunodeficiency virus infection on cognitive abilities. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2012;60(11):2048–2055. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2012.04213.x. - PubMed
    1. Edwards JD, Vance DE, Wadley VG, Cissell GM, Roenker DL, Ball KK. Reliability and validity of useful field of view scores as administered by personal computer. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology. 2005;27(5):529–543. - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources