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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 May;35(3):400-409.
doi: 10.1177/08919887211006472. Epub 2021 Mar 30.

Computerized Cognitive Training in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Kevin Duff  1 , Jian Ying  2 , Kayla R Suhrie  1 , Bonnie C A Dalley  1 , Taylor J Atkinson  1   3 , Sariah M Porter  1 , Ava M Dixon  1 , Dustin B Hammers  1 , Fredric D Wolinsky  4
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Computerized Cognitive Training in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Kevin Duff et al. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 2022 May.

Abstract

Objective: Computerized cognitive training has been successful in healthy older adults, but its efficacy has been mixed in patients with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).

Methods: In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel clinical trial, we examined the short- and long-term efficacy of a brain-plasticity computerized cognitive training in 113 participants with amnestic MCI.

Results: Immediately after 40-hours of training, participants in the active control group who played computer games performed better than those in the experimental group on the primary cognitive outcome (p = 0.02), which was an auditory memory/attention composite score. There were no group differences on 2 secondary outcomes (global cognitive composite and rating of daily functioning). After 1 year, there was no difference between the 2 groups on primary or secondary outcomes. No adverse events were noted.

Conclusions: Although the experimental cognitive training program did not improve outcomes in those with MCI, the short-term effects of the control group should not be dismissed, which may alter treatment recommendations for these patients.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02301546.

Keywords: clinical trial; computerized cognitive training; memory; mild cognitive impairment.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

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

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Study design. Note. * Outcome measures collected.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
CONSORT Study flow diagram.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Observed primary outcome at post-training and 1-year follow-up.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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