Cognitive Abilities In Older Adults Research Articles

Multicomponent Intervention on Improving the Cognitive Ability of Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT This pilot randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the feasibility and potential outcomes of an innovative 16-session multicomponent intervention model to improve cognitive abilities in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by promoting healthy lifestyle, cognitive skills, tai chi and mindfulness practices. This study was a multicentre, randomized controlled, two-arm, parallel-group, unblinded trial in Hong Kong. 57 Chinese older adults with MCI recruited from three local elderly centers were randomly assigned to either the control or intervention group. The study results support the feasibility and efficacy of the multicomponent intervention, and recommend future larger-scale randomized control trials.

The facilitation effect of audiovisual perceptual training on the cognitive ability in older adults and its mechanisms

The facilitation effect of audiovisual perceptual training on the cognitive ability in older adults and its mechanisms

Associations between white matter hyperintensities, lacunes, entorhinal cortex thickness, declarative memory and leisure activity in cognitively healthy older adults: A 7-year study

IntroductionCerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is a growing epidemic that affects brain health and cognition. Therefore, a more profound understanding of the interplay between cSVD, brain atrophy, and cognition in healthy aging is of great importance. In this study, we examined the association between white matter hyperintensities (WMH) volume, number of lacunes, entorhinal cortex (EC) thickness, and declarative memory in cognitively healthy older adults over a seven-year period, controlling for possible confounding factors. Because there is no cure for cSVD to date, the neuroprotective potential of an active lifestyle has been suggested. Supporting evidence, however, is scarce. Therefore, a second objective of this study is to examine the relationship between leisure activities, cSVD, EC thickness, and declarative memory. MethodsWe used a longitudinal dataset, which consisted of five measurement time points of structural MRI and psychometric cognitive ability and survey data, collected from a sample of healthy older adults (baseline N = 231, age range: 64–87 years, age M = 70.8 years), to investigate associations between cSVD MRI markers, EC thickness and verbal and figural memory performance. Further, we computed physical, social, and cognitive leisure activity scores from survey-based assessments and examined their associations with brain structure and declarative memory. To provide more accurate estimates of the trajectories and cross-domain correlations, we applied latent growth curve models controlling for potential confounders. ResultsLess age-related thinning of the right (β = 0.92, p<.05) and left EC (β = 0.82, p<.05) was related to less declarative memory decline; and a thicker EC at baseline predicted less declarative memory loss (β = 0.54, p<.05). Higher baseline levels of physical (β = 0.24, p<.05), and social leisure activity (β = 0.27, p<.01) predicted less thinning of right EC. No relation was found between WMH or lacunes and declarative memory or between leisure activity and declarative memory. Higher education was initially related to more physical activity (β = 0.16, p<.05) and better declarative memory (β = 0.23, p<.001), which, however, declined steeper in participants with higher education (β = –.35, p<.05). Obese participants were less physically (β = –.18, p<.01) and socially active (β = –.13, p<.05) and had thinner left EC (β = –.14, p<.05) at baseline. Antihypertensive medication use (β = –.26, p<.05), and light-to-moderate alcohol consumption (β = –.40, p<.001) were associated with a smaller increase in the number of lacunes whereas a larger increase in the number of lacunes was observed in current smokers (β = 0.30, p<.05). ConclusionsOur results suggest complex relationships between cSVD MRI markers (total WMH, number of lacunes, right and left EC thickness), declarative memory, and confounding factors such as antihypertensive medication, obesity, and leisure activitiy. Thus, leisure activities and having good cognitive reserve counteracting this neurodegeneration. Several confounding factors seem to contribute to the extent or progression/decline of cSVD, which needs further investigation in the future. Since there is still no cure for cSVD, modifiable confounding factors should be studied more intensively in the future to maintain or promote brain health and thus cognitive abilities in older adults.

32 Associations between Childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disabilities and Cognition in Late Adulthood.

Objective:There has been relatively little research on the effect of childhood attention difficulties/weaknesses and learning disabilities/differences on cognitive aging. This study examined associations between self-reported symptoms and diagnoses/concerns of childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and reading or math learning disabilities (LD) and cognitive abilities in older adulthood. We hypothesized that cognitive weaknesses in childhood would be associated with cognitive abilities later in life.Participants and Methods:The 25 individuals with healthy cognition or MCI were recruited from the greater Philadelphia area (Mage= 74.4; SD= 5.34; 40% men; 84%white) and completed a self-report questionnaire of childhood ADHD and LD. Specifically, participants rated their experience of ADHD symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity and indicated whether they had a past diagnosis of (or concerns regarding past) ADHD, math LD or language/reading LD Participants also completed tests of language, attention, episodic memory, executive function, and processing speed. Pearson or point-biserial correlation coefficients (r-values) indicating a medium effect size (.30 or greater) were interpreted as meaningful.Results:On average, participants reported 3.48 symptoms of inattention and 2.56 symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity (i.e., at least six symptoms from either category are consistent with diagnostic criteria for ADHD). 16% of the sample reported childhood ADHD/attention difficulties, 48% reported childhood math LD/math difficulties, and 32% reported childhood language LD/difficulties. On cognitive tests, the sample performed in the average range, with considerable variability (i.e., norm-based, demographically adjusted T-scores ranged from 20-74). The relation between cognitive scores and report of childhood ADHD symptoms was weak and non-significant correlation (r&lt;.18). By contrast, report of childhood ADHD/attention difficulties was associated with lower scores attention tests (r=.33). Report of childhood language LD/difficulties was associated with a worse overall cognitive composite (r=-.35) and executive function ability (r=-.35). Childhood math LD/difficulties was not meaningfully associated with lower scores on any of the cognitive tests administered. Unexpectedly, report of childhood cognitive difficulties also were associated with higher scores on cognitive tests, such that childhood ADHD/attention difficulties was associated with better performance on tests of episodic memory (r=.39), and childhood math LD/difficulties were associated with better performance on tests of language (r=-.37).Conclusions:Current cognitive abilities in older adults may be influenced by lifelong cognitive weakness and academic difficulties. A history of ADHD and LD/difficulties should be considered in clinical neuropsychological assessment and future research on cognitive aging should consider ADHD/LD from a lifespan, developmental framework.

Regional White Matter Hyperintensities Relate to Specific Cognitive Abilities in Older Adults Without Dementia.

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are magnetic resonance imaging markers of small vessel cerebrovascular disease that are associated with cognitive decline and clinical Alzheimer disease. Previous studies have often focused on global or total WMH; less is known about associations of regional WMHs and cognitive abilities among older adults without dementia. A total of 610 older adults with normal cognition (n=302) or mild cognitive impairment (n=308) from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative underwent neuropsychological testing and magnetic resonance imaging. Linear regression models examined associations between regional WMH volumes and cognition, adjusting for age, sex, education, apolipoprotein E ε4 allele frequency, and pulse pressure. Among all participants, greater regional WMH volume in all lobes was associated with poorer performance on memory and speed/executive functioning. Among participants with normal cognition, greater temporal and occipital WMH volumes were associated with poorer memory, whereas no regional WMH volumes were associated with speed/executive function. Results show that greater regional WMH volume relates to poorer cognitive functioning-even among those with normal cognition. Together with results from previous studies, our findings raise the possibility that WMH may be a useful therapeutic target and/or important effect modifier in treatment or prevention dementia trials.

Effects of Auditory Training in Older Adults.

This study examines the effects of an auditory training program on the auditory and cognitive abilities of older adults. Auditory rehabilitation programs are generally designed for hearing aid users, and studies have demonstrated benefits for them. In this study, we seek to understand whether such a training program can also benefit older adults who do not wear hearing aids. We also examined if cognitive benefits can indeed be observed as a result of the training. Sixty-four older adults were recruited and assigned into three groups: the experimental group (n = 20), the active control group (n = 21), and the no-training control group (n = 23). The experimental group underwent an auditory training program (Listening and Communication Enhancement [LACE]) during the training phase. Meanwhile, the active control group listened to short audio clips and the no-training control group did not participate in any program. An auditory test (Quick Speech-in-Noise [QuickSIN]) and a battery of cognitive tests were conducted before and after the training to examine the participants' performance on auditory ability, short-term memory, and attention. The results showed improvements in auditory and cognitive abilities during the training period. When assessing the training effects by comparing the pre- and the posttraining performances, a significant improvement on the QuickSIN task was found in the training group but not in the other two groups. However, other cognitive tests did not show any significant improvement. That is, the LACE training did not benefit short-term memory and attention. The improved performance on short-term memory during the training was not maintained in the posttraining session. Overall, the study has extended the auditory benefit from the LACE training to the typical aging population in terms of improved communication ability, but the effect of training on auditory abilities did not transfer to gains in cognitive abilities.

Cognitive and functional trajectories in geriatric outpatients after a pharmacologic multidisciplinary intervention: A study protocol

BackgroundPolypharmacy is a common condition among older adults and is associated with adverse drug reactions and health outcomes, including falls, functional and cognitive impairment, and frailty. MethodsA prospective observational study will be conducted on older adults with polypharmacy. The aim is to assess the impact of a specialized outpatient clinic focused on pharmacotherapy optimization recently integrated into daily clinical practice in a Spanish public tertiary teaching hospital on patients’ functional and cognitive abilities. Patients who attend a first consultation and meet inclusion criteria (≥75 years old, have a life expectancy≥3 months, and polypharmacy (≥5 prescribed medications) will be invited to participate in the study, until reach a calculated sample size of 104 participants. Patients will be excluded if they are enrolled in a clinical trial related to medication or in the event of a no-show or cancellation of the appointment at the first visit. Participants will receive usual care: a first consultation including multidisciplinary pharmacological optimization in the context of a CGA and subsequent face-to-face and/or telephone follow-up (∼3 and ∼6 months). The primary endpoint will be the functional (Barthel index) and cognitive change in capacities (IPCR – Índice de Incapacidad psíquica de la Cruz Roja). Secondary endpoints include medication changes, changes in patients’ quality of life, rate of falling, and use of healthcare resources. DiscussionWe expect that the close collaboration between professionals from different disciplines working together will be an effective strategy to improve the functional and cognitive abilities of older adults. Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05408598 (March 1, 2022).

The retrogenesis of age-related decline in declarative and procedural memory.

The retrogenesis hypothesis proposes that the order of breakdown of cognitive abilities in older adults is the reverse of the developmental order of children. Declarative and procedural memory systems, however, have been empirically understudied regarding this issue. The current study aimed to investigate whether retrogenesis occurs in the developmental and decline order of the declarative and procedural memory systems. Besides, we further investigated whether retrogenesis occurs in declarative memory, which was tested through the recognition of familiar and unfamiliar items. Both questions were investigated by looking at 28 Chinese younger adults and 27 cognitively healthy Chinese older adults. The recognition memory task and the Serial Reaction Time Task were administered on two consecutive days in order to measure their declarative and procedural memory, respectively. The results showed older adults performed significantly worse than younger adults for both tasks on both days, suggesting a decline in both declarative and procedural memory. Moreover, older adults exhibited relatively preserved declarative memory compared to procedural memory. This does not follow the expectations of the retrogenesis hypothesis. However, older adults demonstrated superior performance and a steeper rate of forgetting for recognizing familiar items than unfamiliar items. This reverses the developmental order of different patterns in the declarative memory system. Overall, we conclude that retrogenesis occurs in the declarative memory system, while does not in the decline order of the two memory systems; this understanding can better help inform our broader understanding of memory aging.

The Effect of Memantine Versus Folic Acid on Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective: Schizophrenia, as one of the most severe psychiatric diseases, has a chronic and debilitating process. The majority of patients with schizophrenia do not respond adequately to treatment with common antipsychotic drugs. Therapeutic problems induced by drug side effects as well as undesired results are major challenging issues regarding this disease. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of memantine supplementation on the improvement of cognitive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Method : The present clinical trial was performed on 50 patients with acute schizophrenia who were admitted to Kargarnejad Psychiatric Hospital in Kashan in 2022 and who were diagnosed as schizophrenia cases at least three months ago. Patients were randomly divided into either the intervention group (n = 25) or the placebo group (n = 25). The intervention group received 5 mg of memantine per day for three months. The dose of memantine in this group was increased to the maximum of 20 mg per day. The placebo group received 1 mg of folic acid per day for three months. Moreover, an identical routine schizophrenia therapeutic regimen was administered to all patients. The effectiveness of memantine was evaluated using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III), which assessed cognitive ability in older adults over a 12-week follow-up period. Results: The WAIS-III score in the 12th week of the study was significantly different between the placebo and intervention groups (P = 0.004), such that the score of the memantine group was higher than that of the placebo group. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of drug side effects. Conclusion: Memantine can be supplemented in the treatment of schizophrenia so as to improve the cognitive symptoms of this disorder. However, subsequent studies involving larger sample sizes and different doses seem to be necessary to provide more accurate results in this respect.

The Impact of Learning Multiple Real-World Skills on Cognitive Abilities and Functional Independence in Healthy Older Adults.

The natural learning experience from infancy to emerging adulthood, when considerable cognitive and functional growth is observed, mandates learning multiple real-world skills simultaneously. The present studies investigated whether learning multiple real-world skills simultaneously is possible in older adults and also whether it improves both their cognitive abilities (working memory, episodic memory, and cognitive control) and functional independence. Over two studies (15 and 27 participants), older adults learned at least three new skills (e.g., Spanish, drawing, music composition) simultaneously for 3 months. Participants completed cognitive and functional assessments before, during, and after the intervention in both studies. Participants were recruited sequentially for an intervention or no-contact control group in Study 1, and Study 2 included only an intervention group, who also completed assessments 4-6 weeks prior to the start of the intervention (i.e., they served as their own control group). Results from both studies show that simultaneously learning multiple skills is feasible and potentially beneficial for healthy older adults. Learning multiple skills simultaneously increased cognitive abilities in older adults by midpoint of the intervention, to levels similar to performance in a separate sample of middle-aged adults. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility and potential of conducting a real-world skill-learning intervention involving learning three novel skills with older adults. Our multiskill intervention may provide broad cognitive gains, akin to the benefits experienced earlier in the life span.

Association Between Cognitive Performance and Nutritional Status: Analysis From LASI-DAD.

Malnutrition in low- and middle-income countries causes cognitive decline and other health problems. Harmonized Diagnostic Assessment of Dementia for Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI DAD) is an extensive study on late-life cognition and dementia. This study examines the link between nutrition and cognitive abilities in older adults using data from the LASI DAD. We conducted descriptive statistics on nutritional parameters (body-mass index, waist-hip ratio, and Mini-Nutritional Assessment), cognitive functions, and socio-demographic variables in 2,892 adults aged ≥60 years. Cognitive domains assessed included delayed recall, orientation, language, executive function, abstract reasoning, and attention. Cognitive impairment was defined as impaired performance in two or more domains. Mean age was 69.3 ± 7.1 years, 52.9% were female, and 57.5% were illiterate. Low body-mass index (adjusted OR: 1.88, p < .001), at risk of malnutrition (adjusted OR: 1.89, p < .001) and malnourished (adjusted OR: 2.86, p < .001) on Mini-Nutritional Assessment were associated with the presence of cognitive impairment. Better cognitive performance was associated with increased body mass index (adjusted OR: 0.74, p-.03), hemoglobin (adjusted OR: 0.91, p-.006), and serum albumin (adjusted OR: 0.38, p < .001). This study shows that nutritional status assessed by anthropometric measures and blood markers is strongly linked to cognitive performance in older adults.

A Systematic Study into the Effects of Long-Term Multicomponent Training on the Cognitive Abilities of Older Adults with Neurodegenerative Disorders

Cognition includes all processes through which a person becomes aware of their situation, needs, goals, and necessary actions. Regular specialized cognitive and neuromotor simulation exercises have improved various cognitive processes, including memory, speed of reasoning, and problem-solving skills. This review focuses on understanding the efficacy of long-term multicomponent exercise interventions to mitigate and delay the effects on cognitive abilities in older adults with neurodegenerative disorders. The main criteria for final studies were randomised controlled trials with a minimum of a 24-week intervention. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, SCOPUS, B-On, Sport Discus, Scielo, APA PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Academic Search Complete, Medline (PubMed), ERIC, and Google Scholar databases were checked. The search occurred between April 2022 and July 2022. A total of 19 studies were used in this review. The initial search identified 6.835 studies. In the first screening, a total of 6474 studies were excluded. After this, 361 studies were analysed by co-authors and did not meet the specific final criteria and were excluded. In total, 19 studies were included in the final analysis, and 14 papers met all requirements previously defined.

Lifestyle and Cognitive Decline in Community-Dwelling Stroke Survivors.

Patients with stroke are at a higher risk of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease dementia. To quantify the role of lifestyle pre-stroke, post-stroke, and changes in lifestyle before and after stroke with cognitive decline in community-dwelling stroke survivors. Utilizing data from the Chicago Health and Aging Project, a population-based cohort study, we studied 1,078 individuals with stroke (662 incident and 416 prevalent) who underwent cognitive testing during the study period. A healthy lifestyle score was defined by scoring four behaviors: non-smoking, exercising, being cognitively active, and having a high-quality diet. The global cognitive score was derived from a comprehensive battery of 4 standardized tests. The mean age at incident stroke was 78.2 years, and 60.1% were women. A healthy lifestyle pre-incident stroke was associated with a slower rate of cognitive decline after stroke. Participants with 3-4 healthy lifestyle factors pre-incident stroke had a slower cognitive decline after stroke by 0.046 units/year (95% CI 0.010, 0.083), or 47.7% slower, than participants with 0-1 healthy lifestyle factor. Lifestyle score post-prevalent stroke was not associated with cognitive decline. Changes in lifestyle behaviors from pre- to post-incident stroke were related to cognitive decline after stroke. Individuals who deteriorated their lifestyle quality after stroke had a faster cognitive decline by 0.051 units/year (β -0.051, 95% CI -0.090, -0.012) than participants with no change in lifestyle score. A healthy lifestyle pre-stroke was associated with a slower rate of cognitive decline in stroke survivors, highlighting the importance of primary prevention. After the stroke, changes in lifestyle behaviors may influence the cognitive abilities of older adults as they age.

Exploring the Impact of Puzzle Games for the Elderly from Experiential Learning

This study aims to explore the effect of puzzle games on older adults based on the theory of experiential learning. First conducted literature review and expert interview to assess which puzzle games and learning experience are suitable for older adults, and eventually selected a puzzle game called SET. Four levels of thought-experience, reflection, linking, and application-were incorporated into the experiential learning process to simulate the cognitive abilities of older adults as they play and experience the puzzle game. Observations were performed during the game to collect qualitative data. Social network analysis was used to draw cognitive maps, which show the changes in the movements and cognition of older adults as they learned, played, and experienced the puzzle game. The cognitive maps were analyzed and the results revealed that the participants acquired new experiences from playing the game.

Eigenbehaviour as an Indicator of Cognitive Abilities.

With growing use of machine learning algorithms and big data in health applications, digital measures, such as digital biomarkers, have become highly relevant in digital health. In this paper, we focus on one important use case, the long-term continuous monitoring of cognitive ability in older adults. Cognitive ability is a factor both for long-term monitoring of people living alone as well as a relevant outcome in clinical studies. In this work, we propose a new potential digital biomarker for cognitive abilities based on location eigenbehaviour obtained from contactless ambient sensors. Indoor location information obtained from passive infrared sensors is used to build a location matrix covering several weeks of measurement. Based on the eigenvectors of this matrix, the reconstruction error is calculated for various numbers of used eigenvectors. The reconstruction error in turn is used to predict cognitive ability scores collected at baseline, using linear regression. Additionally, classification of normal versus pathological cognition level is performed using a support-vector machine. Prediction performance is strong for high levels of cognitive ability but grows weaker for low levels of cognitive ability. Classification into normal and older adults with mild cognitive impairment, using age and the reconstruction error, shows high discriminative performance with an ROC AUC of 0.94. This is an improvement of 0.08 as compared with a classification with age only. Due to the unobtrusive method of measurement, this potential digital biomarker of cognitive ability can be obtained entirely unobtrusively—it does not impose any patient burden. In conclusion, the usage of the reconstruction error is a strong potential digital biomarker for binary classification and, to a lesser extent, for more detailed prediction of inter-individual differences in cognition.

Associations of cardiorespiratory fitness and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity with latent cognitive abilities in older adults

It has been demonstrated that physical activity has a small but positive effect on cognition in old age, which suggests that it may be possible to alter the trajectory of age-related cognitive decline. However, our understanding of which aspects of physical activity that are important for modifying cognition remains incomplete. Adopting an exploratory approach in a sample of 115 healthy older adults (65–75 years), the present cross-sectional study used structural equation modelling to investigate the dissociable associations of physical activity (moderate-to-vigorous activity, derived from 7-day accelerometry) and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 max, derived from maximal treadmill ergometer test) with multiple latent cognitive abilities (working memory, episodic memory, spatial and verbal reasoning). The results showed a significant positive association between fitness and working memory, when physical activity was statistically controlled for, and a positive association of similar point magnitude between physical activity and episodic memory, when fitness was statistically controlled for, although the latter association did not reach statistical significance. The results add to the foundation for a more careful investigation of the dissociable associations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and fitness with cognition in old age, and encourages future research to test the hypothesis that cardiorespiratory fitness benefits working memory via general cerebrovascular effects on grey matter volume, whilst moderate-to-vigorous physical activity benefits episodic memory via effects on neuroplastic processes.

Linking Older Adults’ Daily Activities With Well-Being and Cognition: Examining Moderators and Mediators

Increasingly more studies are showing that daily activities can be beneficial to wellbeing and cognitive abilities of older adults, but discussions about through which psychological mechanisms daily activities are associated with wellbeing and cognitive health have been scarce. This symposium, including three ambulatory assessment studies and one cross-sectional study, presents emerging theoretical hypotheses and recent empirical findings on this matter. Specifically, with 5-6 days of observations from 313 older adults, Brown and colleagues show that greater daily activity diversity is related to older adults’ higher overall cognitive functioning (executive functioning, memory, and crystallized intelligence). Hueluer and colleagues examine the moderating role of interaction modality on the relation of daily social interactions with wellbeing using data from 116 older adults over 21 days. Their results show that more face-to-face interactions — but not telephone or digital interactions — are associated with higher positive affect and lower loneliness. With data from 153 older adults over 15 days, Luo and colleagues show the mediating effect of positive affect in the association between momentary working memory performance and subsequent social activity engagement. Sharifian and colleagues show the mediating effects of solitary-cognitive activities in the association between depressive symptoms and global cognition, using cross-sectional data from 453 older adults, and also examine the moderating role of race. Finally, Tom Hess will serve as a discussant and provide an integrative discussion of the papers, informed by his extensive work on daily activities, motivation, and aging.

Translating and Adapting the Modified Mini Mental State (3MS) Test for Multiple Cultural Populations

Abstract Within healthcare settings, screening of cognitive abilities in older adults is routinely conducted for the detection, early intervention, and management of cognitive impairments. The Modified Mini Mental State (3MS) test takes approximately 10 minutes to administer and has a score range of 0 - 100. It can provide an estimated MMSE score, and has been used in multiple countries since 1987 with approximately 1,900 publications. The United States has many diverse populations with different languages and cultural backgrounds. How to appropriately translate and adapt the original 3MS test in English for each minority group in order to better serve them is an important issue. Cross-cultural assessment involves much more than accurate translation of test items across languages. One needs to know not only the oral and written languages involved, but also the life experiences and circumstances of the target populations. This presentation first covers some general considerations in test translation and adaptation, including attention to cultural, ecological, and language specifics. We shall then present Chinese, Korean, and Hindi 3MS record forms to illustrate the reasons and ways for modification of some of the test items. To accommodate different writing systems, for example, 3MS test versions with an alphabet are different from ones with logographic character representations. Modifications of the 3MS items include those on temporal orientation, spatial orientation, naming, and repetition. In summary, cultural, ecological, and linguistic differences must be taken into account for cognitive screening in order to enhance cross-population comparability and be more inclusive for aging ethnic minorities.

Effect of Brain Training Game on Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in Older Adults

Aim: To determine effects of Kinect- based games on neurocognitive functions in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Methodology: A quasi experimental pre-post trail was conducted on 18 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) older adults. The subjects were recruited to access cognitive impairment through purposive sampling technique. The inclusion criteria were elderly aged ≥ 50 years, both genders, able to read and write, whereas older adults with severe cognitive impairments, neurological disorders and un controlled comorbidities were excluded. Brain training was provided for 30 minutes with 5-minute warm-up time and 5-minute cool-down time for 6 weeks. Blind assessor measured readings at baseline and after six weeks. The outcome measures were Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), Trail making test A &amp; B and verbal fluency test (Semantic &amp;Phonemic). The data was analyzed at baseline and after six weeks of intervention Results: Significant improvements were observed in post-test measurements (p &lt;0.05) in MMSE, MoCA, TMT A &amp; B and verbal fluency (Semantic &amp;Phonemic) tests after 6 weeks of treatment. Conclusion: Kinect-based virtual reality games are beneficial in improving cognitive abilities of older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Keywords: Cognitive training, Mild cognitive impairment, Montreal Cognitive Assessment

Impact of Locus Coeruleus and Its Projections on Memory and Aging.

Introduction: Locus coeruleus (LC) is the primary source of norepinephrine to the brain and its efferent projections innervate many brain regions, including the thalamus. The LC degrades with normal aging, but not much is known regarding whether its structural connectivity evolves with age or predicts aspects of cognition. Methods: Here, we use high-resolution diffusion tensor imaging-based tractography to examine structural connectivity between LC and the thalamus in younger and older adults. Results: We found LC projections to be bundled in a fiber tract anatomically consistent with the central tegmental tract (CTT) and branched from this tract into the thalamus. The older cohort exhibited a significant reduction in mean and radial diffusivity within CTT, as compared with the young cohort. We also observed a significant correlation between CTT mean, axial, and radial diffusivities and memory performance (delayed recall) in the older adult cohort. Discussion: These observations suggest that although LC projections degrade with age, the degree of degradation is associated with cognitive abilities in older adults. Impact statement Locus coeruleus (LC) modulates several cognitive processes, including modulating arousal, attention modulation, and memory. Sustaining the integrity of LC neurons is hypothesized to play a key role in staving off age-related cognitive decline. However, less is known about how efferent projections of LC change with age or cognition. Here, we examine how age affects the microstructure of the central tegmental tract, a fiber tract in which LC efferent projections are bundled, and whether age-related changes in the microstructure of this tract are associated with cognitive decline.