Cognitive and physical training in patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia

Postgraduate Thesis uoadl:1314702 373 Read counter

Unit:
Speciality Clinical Neuropsychology
Library of the School of Health Sciences
Deposit date:
2013-07-17
Year:
2013
Author:
Τσάπανου Αγγελική
Supervisors info:
Επικ. Καθ. Σωκράτης Παπαγεωργίου
Original Title:
Cognitive and physical training in patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia
Languages:
Greek
Summary:
Objectives: Cognitive and physical training (CT & PT) are proposed for the
prevention of cognitive decline in the elderly and as a treatment option for
patients with mild dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).
Methods: In the context of the sessions lasted for 2 hours and were run on a 5
days/week basis, funded by the European Commission (the Long Lasting Memories
project), we have implemented a 8 week program of training using a computer
interface. 90 participants were assigned to the program. They were MCI,
Alzheimer Disease (AD) or other types of mild dementia participants.
Participants had to be >60 years old, either male or female, fluent Greek
native speakers. They were assessed before and after the intervention with a
neuropsychological battery including, the California Verbal Learning Test
(CVLT), the Trail Making Test A and B (TMT-A/B) and the Digit Span
forward/backwards. The training groups we had were one with the combination of
cognitive and physical training, one only with cognitive training and finally,
there was a passive control group which had no training.
Results: Training group by diagnosis interaction was assessed in a series of
two-way ANOVAs. Mean differences on the neuropsychological tests’ scores for
the three diagnostic groups (controls, MCI and mild Dementia)-pre and post
intervention-were assessed in a series of paired-sample t-tests. The group with
the combined training had significant effect on the CVLT scores, on the digit
span backwards and the TMT-B. The effect of the only cognitive and passive
control group was only at the CVLT short recall.
Conclusions: Our findings indicate that no training program for patients with
MCI or mild Dementia should include only cognitive exercises or tests and
highlight that as little as 8 weeks of regular physical exercise combined with
cognitive training can improve some cognitive functions in MCI patients.
Keywords:
Dementia, Training, Cognitive, Physical, MCI
Index:
No
Number of index pages:
0
Contains images:
No
Number of references:
48
Number of pages:
27
File:
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