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Nanousi V, Kalogeraki K, Smyrnaiou A, Tola M, Bokari F, Georgopoulos VC. The Development of a Pilot App Targeting Short-Term and Prospective Memory in People Diagnosed with Dementia. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:752. [PMID: 37754030 PMCID: PMC10525938 DOI: 10.3390/bs13090752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND According to the World Health Organization, people suffering from dementia exhibit a serious decline in various cognitive domains and especially in memory. AIMS This study aims to create a pilot computer app to enhance short-term memory and prospective memory in individuals with dementia using errorless learning based on their individualized needs. METHODS Fifteen dementia patients and matched controls, matched for age, sex, and education, were selected. Their daily routines were analyzed, and cognitive abilities were assessed using the MoCA test. Considering the participants' illness severity and daily needs, the pilot app was designed to aid in remembering daily tasks (taking medication and meals), object locations, and familiar faces and names. RESULTS An improvement in patients' short-term and prospective memory throughout the training sessions, but not in overall cognitive functioning was observed. A statistically significant difference between patients and healthy controls was indicated in their ability to retain information relevant to them in their short-term memory, or to remember to act in the future following schedules organized at present (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION This app appears beneficial for training dementia patients and healthy individuals in addressing memory challenges. RECOMMENDATION While the pilot app showed promise, further research with larger samples is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky Nanousi
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, School of Health Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Konstantina Kalogeraki
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, School of Health Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Smyrnaiou
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, School of Health Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Manila Tola
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, School of Health Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Foteini Bokari
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, School of Health Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Voula Chris Georgopoulos
- Department of Speech and Language Therapy, School of Health Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
- Primary Health Care Laboratory, School of Health Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
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Mavragani A, Michels L, Schmidt A, Barinka F, de Bruin ED. Effectiveness of an Individualized Exergame-Based Motor-Cognitive Training Concept Targeted to Improve Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults With Mild Neurocognitive Disorder: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2023; 12:e41173. [PMID: 36745483 PMCID: PMC9941909 DOI: 10.2196/41173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Simultaneous motor-cognitive training is considered promising for preventing the decline in cognitive functioning in older adults with mild neurocognitive disorder (mNCD) and can be highly motivating when applied in the form of exergaming. The literature points to opportunities for improvement in the application of exergames in individuals with mNCD by developing novel exergames and exergame-based training concepts that are specifically tailored to patients with mNCD and ensuring the implementation of effective training components. OBJECTIVE This study systematically explores the effectiveness of a newly developed exergame-based motor-cognitive training concept (called "Brain-IT") targeted to improve cognitive functioning in older adults with mNCD. METHODS A 2-arm, parallel-group, single-blinded randomized controlled trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio (ie, intervention: control), including 34 to 40 older adults with mNCD will be conducted between May 2022 and December 2023. The control group will proceed with the usual care provided by the (memory) clinics where the patients are recruited. The intervention group will perform a 12-week training intervention according to the "Brain-IT" training concept, in addition to usual care. Global cognitive functioning will be assessed as the primary outcome. As secondary outcomes, domain-specific cognitive functioning, brain structure and function, spatiotemporal parameters of gait, instrumental activities of daily living, psychosocial factors, and resting cardiac vagal modulation will be assessed. Pre- and postintervention measurements will take place within 2 weeks before starting and after completing the intervention. A 2-way analysis of covariance or the Quade nonparametric analysis of covariance will be computed for all primary and secondary outcomes, with the premeasurement value as a covariate for the predicting group factor and the postmeasurement value as the outcome variable. To determine whether the effects are substantive, partial eta-squared (η2p) effect sizes will be calculated for all primary and secondary outcomes. RESULTS Upon the initial submission of this study protocol, 13 patients were contacted by the study team. Four patients were included in the study, 2 were excluded because they were not eligible, and 7 were being informed about the study in detail. Of the 4 included patients, 2 already completed all premeasurements and were in week 2 of the intervention period. Data collection is expected to be completed by December 2023. A manuscript of the results will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed open-access journal in 2024. CONCLUSIONS This study contributes to the evidence base in the highly relevant area of preventing disability because of cognitive impairment, which has been declared a public health priority by the World Health Organization. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05387057; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05387057. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/41173.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lars Michels
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - André Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Filip Barinka
- Clinic for Neurology, Hirslanden Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eling D de Bruin
- Motor Control and Learning Group - Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Health, OST - Eastern Swiss University of Applied Sciences, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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Krebs C, Brill E, Minkova L, Federspiel A, Kellner-Weldon F, Wyss P, Teunissen CE, van Harten AC, Seydell-Greenwald A, Klink K, Züst MA, Brem AK, Klöppel S. Investigating Compensatory Brain Activity in Older Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 93:107-124. [PMID: 36970895 DOI: 10.3233/jad-221001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one possible cause of subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Normal task performance despite ongoing neurodegeneration is typically considered as neuronal compensation, which is reflected by greater neuronal activity. Compensatory brain activity has been observed in frontal as well as parietal regions in SCD, but data are scarce, especially outside the memory domain. OBJECTIVE To investigate potential compensatory activity in SCD. Such compensatory activity is particularly expected in participants where blood-based biomarkers indicated amyloid positivity as this implies preclinical AD. METHODS 52 participants with SCD (mean age: 71.00±5.70) underwent structural and functional neuroimaging (fMRI), targeting episodic memory and spatial abilities, and a neuropsychological assessment. The estimation of amyloid positivity was based on plasma amyloid-β and phosphorylated tau (pTau181) measures. RESULTS Our fMRI analyses of the spatial abilities task did not indicate compensation, with only three voxels exceeding an uncorrected threshold at p < 0.001. This finding was not replicated in a subset of 23 biomarker positive individuals. CONCLUSION Our results do not provide conclusive evidence for compensatory brain activity in SCD. It is possible that neuronal compensation does not manifest at such an early stage as SCD. Alternatively, it is possible that our sample size was too small or that compensatory activity may be too heterogeneous to be detected by group-level statistics. Interventions based on the individual fMRI signal should therefore be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Krebs
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Esther Brill
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lora Minkova
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Federspiel
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ber, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Frauke Kellner-Weldon
- Section Neuroradiology of the Department of Radiology, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Patric Wyss
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Charlotte E Teunissen
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam Vrije University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Argonde C van Harten
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Katharina Klink
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marc A Züst
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anna-Katharine Brem
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stefan Klöppel
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Owens AP, Krebs C, Kuruppu S, Brem AK, Kowatsch T, Aarsland D, Klöppel S. Broadened assessments, health education and cognitive aids in the remote memory clinic. Front Public Health 2022; 10:1033515. [PMID: 36568790 PMCID: PMC9768191 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1033515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of dementia is increasing and poses a health challenge for individuals and society. Despite the desire to know their risks and the importance of initiating early therapeutic options, large parts of the population do not get access to memory clinic-based assessments. Remote memory clinics facilitate low-level access to cognitive assessments by eschewing the need for face-to-face meetings. At the same time, patients with detected impairment or increased risk can receive non-pharmacological treatment remotely. Sensor technology can evaluate the efficiency of this remote treatment and identify cognitive decline. With remote and (partly) automatized technology the process of cognitive decline can be monitored but more importantly also modified by guiding early interventions and a dementia preventative lifestyle. We highlight how sensor technology aids the expansion of assessments beyond cognition and to other domains, e.g., depression. We also illustrate applications for aiding remote treatment and describe how remote tools can facilitate health education which is the cornerstone for long-lasting lifestyle changes. Tools such as transcranial electric stimulation or sleep-based interventions have currently mostly been used in a face-to-face context but have the potential of remote deployment-a step already taken with memory training apps. Many of the presented methods are readily scalable and of low costs and there is a range of target populations, from the worried well to late-stage dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P. Owens
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christine Krebs
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sajini Kuruppu
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anna-Katharine Brem
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom,University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Kowatsch
- Institute for Implementation Science in Health Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland,School of Medicine, University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland,Centre for Digital Health Interventions, Department Management, Technology, and Economics at ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dag Aarsland
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stefan Klöppel
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland,*Correspondence: Stefan Klöppel
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