a Nonpharmacological Cognitive Training Intervention in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Author Affi liations: Hellenic (Greek) Alzheimer Association and Alzheimer Association of Kalamaria (Kounti, Bakoglidou, Agogiatou, Tsolaki) and Third Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University (Tsolaki), Thessaloniki, Hellas; Brain Enhancement Services, Waltham (Serper) and Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston (Emerson Lombardo), Massachusetts. Funding Sources: None for Hellenic investigators or for Dr Serper. Dr Nancy Emerson Lombardo was supported by the US National Institute of Aging grant P30-AG013846 (Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Core Center). Correspondence: Magda Tsolaki, MD, PhD, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Medicine, Petrou Sindika 13, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Hellas, Greece (tsolakim1@ath.forthnet.gr). [AQ2] Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of RHEA, a cognitive training through kinetic exercises, on patients with mild cognitive impairment. Subjects and Method: Participants, completing study, were 58 mild cognitive impairment patients with MMSE 27.69, assigned to 2 groups of 29 each (experimental, 20-weekly RHEA sessions, and no-therapy control), matched for age, gender, education, cholinesterase inhibitors, cognitive abilities. Neuropsychological assessments were performed at baseline and after 5 months. Results: Between groups difference to the benefi t of the experimental group were demonstrated in attention (P .002), language (P .015), visual-spatial abilities (P .013), MMSE (P .047), and daily function (P .009). Experimental participants improved cognitive and functional performances while control participants remained stable.