The impacts of a GO-game (Chinese chess) intervention on Alzheimer disease in a Northeast Chinese population.

Qiao Lin,Jie Gao,Yunpeng Cao

doi:10.3389/fnagi.2015.00163

Abstract

A GO game can enhance mental health, but its effects on Alzheimer Disease (AD) remains unknown. To address the issue, 147 AD patients were randomly assigned into control (without GO-game intervention), Short-time GO-Game Intervention (SGGI, 1 h daily) and Long-time GO-game Intervention (LGGI, 2 h daily) groups. After 6-month follow-up, the game reduced the mean score of Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scales (MADRS) of 4.72 (95% CI, 0.69 to 9.12) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) of 1.75 (95% CI, 0.17–3.68), and increased the mean score of Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) of 4.95 (95% CI, −1.37–9.18) and RAND-36 of 4.61 (95% CI, −2.75–11.32) (P < 0.05 via controls). A GO-game intervention improved 9 of 11 items of KICA-dep (Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment of Depression). Meanwhile, serum levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were higher in SGGI and LGGI groups (24.02 ± 7.16 and 28.88 ± 4.12 ng/ml respectively, P = 0.051) than those in controls (17.28 ± 7.75 ng/ml) (P < 0.001). The serum levels of BDNF showed a negative relation with MADRS and a positive relation with RAND-36 (P < 0.01). A GO-game intervention ameliorates AD manifestations by up-regulating BDNF levels.

Highlights

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one leading cause of dementia and affects more than 35 million people in the world (Gregori et al, 2015; Hamilton et al, 2015)
The results indicated that all Alzheimer Disease (AD) subjects had clinical dementia
A GO game has been proved to be very interesting for its rich strategies with simple rules and attracts many elderly adults

Summary

Introduction

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one leading cause of dementia and affects more than 35 million people in the world (Gregori et al, 2015; Hamilton et al, 2015). The etiology of AD is complex and medicine therapy is still the mainstay for AD patients. Cholinesterase inhibitor and memantine (1-amino-3,5-dimethyladamantane) are often used for the conventional therapy of AD patients (Ahn et al, 2014; Dysken et al, 2014; Evans et al, 2014). All the medicine has significant side effects. Cholinesterase inhibitors cause the side effects, such as bradycardia (Leikin et al, 2014), hypotension (van Beek et al, 2010), and low intraocular pressure (Sawada et al, 1971). Memantine causes common adverse effects, such as confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, insomnia and hallucinations, and some less common adverse effects including vomiting, anxiety, hypertonia, cystitis and libido

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Conclusion