Effects of home-based computerized cognitive training and tai chi exercise on cognitive functions in older adults with mild cognitive impairment

Abstract

Background

A randomized trial was conducted to investigate the effects of computerized cognitive training (CCT) and tai chi exercise (TCE) vs. health education (HE) on cognitive functions in 189 older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods

Cognitive functions were assessed by the five-domain Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS) (attention, initiation/perseveration, construction, conceptualization, and memory) and the modified Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status (TICS-M), while the timed up and go (TUG), Tinetti’s balance, activities of daily living (ADLs), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) were also evaluated. Each intervention was delivered once a week for 6 months. All outcomes were followed up at 6 and 12 months of the study.

Results

Compared to HE, CCT increased scores on the MDRS’s total, initiation/perseveration, construction, and conceptualization domains and on the TICS-M at 6 months and those on the MDRS’s total, attention, construction, conceptualization, and memory domains and on the TICS-M at 12 months; TCE increased scores on the MDRS’s total and construction domains and on the TICS-M at 6 months and those on the MDRS’s total, attention, initiation/perseveration, and conceptualization domains and on the TICS-M at 12 months. Moreover, CCT improved the TUG at 6 and 12 months and Tinetti’s balance at 12 months, and TCE improved the TUG at 6 and 12 months, Tinetti’s balance, and ABC at 6 and 12 months, and ADLs at 12 months.

Conclusions

The effects of CCT and TCE on improving global cognition and certain cognitive domains for older MCI adults may have been small but they lasted for at least 12 months.

Keywords:

• Cognitive decline
• cognitive training
• dementia
• older adults
• physical activity

Acknowledgements

We thank all participants in this study

Authors’ contributions

HFH and MRL designed the study. HFH and KCT searched the literature. HFC, SJC, and WYY collected the data. KCT and CYC analyzed the data. HFH and KCT wrote the manuscript draft. WYY, SJC, CYC, and MRL revised the manuscript. All of the authors of the manuscript have read and approved the contents of the submitted manuscript.

Disclosure statement

None of the authors has any conflict of interest to declare.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, MRL, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI-EX112-10804PI) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST109-2314-B-038-065-MY3), Taiwan, ROC.