Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Neurocognitive Rehabilitation of Patients with Mild Cognitive Decline under Restrictions during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: the development of programs for the correction of cognitive impairment in elderly patients with various types of mild cognitive decline is an urgent task of geriatric medicine and clinical psychology. The aim of the study was to conduct neuropsychological and psychometric evaluation of the results of a modified neurorehabilitation program (combination of full time and part time studies) in patients of the “Memory Clinic”. Patients and methods: a total of 114 patients (mean age 73 years) with mild cognitive impairment was studied. Neuropsychological and psychometric evaluation of the dynamics of the cognitive sphere in patients with mild cognitive decline (MCI) before and after participation (week 6) in the full-time/part-time neurorehabilitation program at the “Memory Clinic” was carried out. For psychometric assessment, the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were used. The neuropsychological study was carried out using the “Express Method for the Study of Cognitive Functions at a Late Age” (N.K. Korsakova et al.). For psychometric assessment, the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were used. The neuropsychological study was carried out using the “Express Method for the Study of Cognitive Functions at a Late Age” (N.K. Korsakova, E.Yu. Balashova, I.F. Roshchina). Results: using the method of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), a statistically significant effect (p < 0.05) of the neurorehabilitation program on psychometric tests (MMSE, MoCA) and on the total score of the “Express Methods for the Study of Cognitive Functions at a Late Age”, as well as on its subscales —verbal memory, visual memory, semantic memory, dynamic, spatial and regulatory praxis was detected. Conclusions: a psychometric and neuropsychological study showed the effectiveness of a full time/part-time neurocognitive rehabilitation program for patients with mild cognitive decline under conditions of limited visits to the Memory Clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic.