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P1‐072: COGNITIVE TRAINING EFFECT ON ATTENTION, MEMORY AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION IN PERUVIAN HEALTHY OLDER ADULTS
Author(s) -
Soto-Añari Marcio,
Aucca Fresia,
Cabrera Gabriela
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2019.06.097
Subject(s) - wisconsin card sorting test , stroop effect , cognition , geriatric depression scale , executive functions , psychology , neuropsychology , trail making test , audiology , clinical psychology , medicine , psychiatry , depressive symptoms
Background: Non-pharmacological interventions have been shown to be effective in improving cognition in healthy older adults. In Peru, cognitive intervention programs are scarce, inaccessible and with poor theoretical bases. Our objective was to analyze the effect of a cognitive intervention program on attention, executive function and memory in healthy older adults. Methods: we used a repeated measures design with the application of a cognitive intervention program which consisted of 34 sessions of attention (10), memory (12) and executive function (12). The final sample was 22 healthy seniors (Age: 67.95) and with more than 6 years of schooling. We used revised Addenbrooke cognitive examination (ACEr), the Yesavage geriatric depression scale and the Katz index. Besides, we applied a neuropsychological battery that included the Stroop test, the Hopkins verbal learning test (HVLT), the Rey copy figure and the modified version of the Wisconsin card sorting test (mWCST). Results: We observed a very significant improvement in the overall cognitive performance of ACER (Z 1⁄4 -3.981, p <.000), processing speed (Stroop P: Z 1⁄4 -2.535, p <.011) and in PC’ (Z1⁄4 -3.653; p<.000). In executive function we observed a significant increase in the number of categories (Z1⁄4 -3.551; p<.000) and a decrease in the number of perseverative errors (Z1⁄4 -3.208; p <.001) of m-WCST. In addition, there was a significant improvement in total recall of the HVLT (Z 1⁄4 -2,006, p <.045), in delayed recall (Z1⁄4 -3.208; p<.001) and in the memory reproduction of the Rey figure (Z1⁄4 -2.122, p<.034). Finally, we applied an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to see the effect of education on the Results obtained. We observed that after the application of the program the effect of schooling is lower in general cognitive performance (Pre test: F 1⁄4 21.318, p <.000; Post test: F 1⁄4 4.394, p <.05). Conclusions: The program of cognitive intervention achieved significant improvements in general cognitive performance, executive function and memory, in addition we observed a lower effect of years of schooling after the application of the program.