336886
Impact of cognitive training on depression among cognitively-impaired older adults
Evidence supports that cognitive training (CT) improves depressive symptoms and quality of life (QOL) among healthy older adults. Among older adults with cognitive impairment (OA-CI), research on the association between CT and depressive symptoms/QOL is sparse; much of the evidence within this population is centered on the link between CT and memory. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a 10-week CT intervention on cognition and depressive symptoms among OA-CI.
Method: This study examined the change in depressive symptoms and cognition following a 10-week CT intervention using Posit Science Brain HQ (BHQ). Participants (N=20) in an adult day program completed 20 hours of BHQ over 10 weeks. Depression (Geriatric Depression Scale -GDS) and cognition (Mini Mental State Exam-MMSE and Cognitive Self-Report Questionnaire -CSRQ) were measured using paired t-tests to assess whether there were significant differences between the two time points.
Results: Participants (age µ=80.5 years) had mild dementia according to the MMSE (µ=21.4). Individuals exhibited a significant improvement in GDS between baseline and 10 weeks [t(18)=2.53, p=0.021]. CSRQ and MMSE improved from baseline (CSRQ: µ = 2.19, SD 0.56; MMSE µ = 21.41, SD 2.90) to follow-up (CSRQ µ = 2.00, SD 0.42; µ = 22.58. SD 3.76), but neither of these improvements were statistically significant [(CSRQ: t(17)=1.63, p=0.122); (MMSE t(15)=-0.24, p=0.81)].
Discussion: Senior adult day programs that use a CT program for 10 weeks may help decrease depressive symptoms for OA-CI. Larger studies among this population are needed to confirm these findings.
Learning Areas:
Chronic disease management and preventionImplementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Learning Objectives:
Describe how cognitive training is used to improve depression and cognition among older adults with cognitive impairment.
Describe the feasibility of implementing a cognitive training intervention among cognitively-impaired older adults in a senior adult day program.
Keyword(s): Aging, Quality of Life
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal investigator of two studies that examined the impact of cognitive training on gait and balance among older adults and served as a contracted co-investigator on the current study. I played a key role in designing the study and conducted data analyses.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.