Computer-assisted Intervention using Touch-screen Video Game Technology on Cognitive Function and Behavioural Symptoms for Community-dwelling Older Chinese Adults with Mild-to-Moderate Dementia - Preliminary Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Ruby Yu, Dawn Poon, Ashley Ng, Kitty Sit, Jenny Lee, Bosco Ma, CM Lum, Fannie Yeung, Martin Wong, Elsie Hui, Jean Woo
2015
Abstract
Objective: This study explored the potential benefits of a computer-assisted intervention using touch-screen videogame technology on cognitive function and behavioural symptoms in older adults with mild-to-moderate dementia. Methods: A randomized-controlled-trial is being conducted comparing a videogame training and a conventional cognitive training. Until January 2015, 32 community-dwelling older Chinese adults (mean age 83y, range 70-99y, 69% women) with mild-to-moderate dementia were randomly assigned to the videogame training (intervention group n=16) or the cognitive training (control group n=16). The intervention group performed a computer-assisted training encompassing 4 videogames using touch-screen interfaces for 30 minutes/session, 1-2 sessions/week for a total of 8 sessions; the control group performed a matched training encompassing 4 cognitive activities for same amount of time. Results: The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in game performance, Montreal Cognitive Assessment language sub-score, Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) total and distress scores, while the control group showed improvement in activity performance and NPI distress score (all P<0.05). Compared to the control group, the intervention group had significantly improved Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory total score and verbally aggressive sub-score (both P<0.05). Conclusions: Touch-screen videogame training can alleviate behavioural symptoms in older adults with mild-to-moderate dementia. Its efficacy to improve cognitive and other related functions warrants further investigation.
References
- Alexopoulos, G. S., et al. 1988. Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia. Biol Psychiatry 23, 271-284.
- American Psychiatric Association 2000 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR Fourth Edition (Text Revision), Washington, DC.
- Ballard, C., et al. 2002. Can psychiatric liaison reduce neuroleptic use and reduce health service utilization for dementia patients residing in care facilities. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 17, 140-5.
- Barnes, D. E., et al. 2009. Computer-based cognitive training for mild cognitive impairment: results from a pilot randomized, controlled trial. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 23, 205-10.
- Basak, C., et al. 2008. Can training in a real-time strategy video game attenuate cognitive decline in older adults? Psychol Aging 23, 765-77.
- Becker, J. T., et al. 1996. Compensatory reallocation of brain resources supporting verbal episodic memory in Alzheimer's disease. Neurology 46, 692-700.
- Bozoki, A., et al. 2013. Effects of a computer-based cognitive exercise program on age-related cognitive decline. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 57, 1-7.
- Chiu, H. F., et al. 1994. Reliability and validity of the cantonese version of the mini mental state examination a preliminary study. J Hong Kong Coll Psychiatr 4(Suppl 2):S25-8.
- Choy, C. N., et al. 2001. Agitation in Chinese elderly: validation of the Chinese version of the CohenMansfield Agitation Inventory. Int Psychogeriatr 13, 325-35.
- Cohen-Mansfield, J., et al. 1989. A description of agitation in a nursing home. J Gerontol 44, M77-84.
- Cohen-Mansfield, J. and Werner P. 1997. Management of verbally disruptive behaviors in nursing home residents. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 52, M369-77.
- Cummings, J. L., et al. 1994. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory: comprehensive assessment of psychopathology in dementia. Neurology 44, 2308-14.
- Dahlin, E., et al. 2008. Transfer of learning after updating training mediated by the striatum. Science 320, 1510- 12.
- Erickson, K. I., et al. 2007. Training-induced functional activation changes in dual-task processing: an FMRI study. Cereb Cortex 17, 192-204.
- Finn, M. and McDonald S. 2014. A single case study of computerised cognitive training for older persons with mild cognitive impairment. NeuroRehabilitation 35, 261-70.
- Folstein, M. F., et al. 1975. Mini-mental state. A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. J Psychiatr Res 12, 189-98.
- Gaitan, A., et al. 2013. Efficacy of an adjunctive computer-based cognitive training program in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: a single-blind, randomized clinical trial. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 28, 91-9.
- Grady, C. L., et al. 2003. Evidence from functional neuroimaging of a compensatory prefrontal network in Alzheimer's disease. J Neurosci 23, 986-93.
- Green, C. S. and Bavelier D. 2008. Exercising your brain: a review of human brain plasticity and traininginduced learning. Psychol Aging 23, 692-701.
- Hofmann, M., et al. 1996. Interactive computer-based cognitive training in patients with Alzheimer's disease. J Psychiatr Res 30, 493-501.
- Hughes, C. P., et al. 1982. A new clinical scale for the staging of dementia. Br J Psychiatry 140, 566-72.
- Jonides, J. 2004. How does practice makes perfect? Nature Neuroscience 7, 10-1.
- Kueider, A. M., et al. 2012. Computerized cognitive training with older adults: A systematic review. PLoS ONE 7, e40588.
- Lam, C. K., et al. 2004. Depression in dementia: a comparative and validation study of four brief scales in the elderly Chinese. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 19, 422-28.
- Leung, V. P., et al. 2001. Validation study of the Chinese version of the neuropsychiatric inventory (CNPI). Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 16, 789-93.
- Lin, J. N. and Wang J. J. 2008. Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia. J Nurs Res 16, 202-10.
- Mahncke, H. W., et al. 2006. Memory enhancement in healthy older adults using a brain plasticity-based training program: a randomized, controlled study. Pro Natl Acad Sci U S A 103, 12523-8.
- Man, D. W., et al. 2012. Evaluation of a virtual realitybased memory training programme for Hong Kong Chinese older adults with questionable dementia: a pilot study. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 27, 513-20.
- Mok, E. H., et al. 2004. Category verbal fluency test performance in chinese elderly with Alzheimer's disease. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 18, 120-24.
- Morris, J. C. 1997. Clinical dementia rating: a reliable and valid diagnostic and staging measure for dementia of the Alzheimer type. Int Psychogeriatr 9 Suppl 1: 173- 6; discussion 177-8.
- Nasreddine, Z. S., et al. 2005. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA: a brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. J Am Geriatr Soc 53, 695-9.
- Nouchi, R., et al. 2012. Brain training game improves executive functions and processing speed in the elderly: a randomized controlled trial. PLoS ONE 7, e29676.
- Oei, A. C. and Patterson M. D. 2013. Enhancing cognition with video games: a multiple game training study. PLoS ONE 8, e58546.
- Olesen, P. J., et al. 2004. Increased prefrontal and parietal activity after training of working memory. Nature Neuroscience 7, 75-9.
- Owen, A. M., et al. 2010. Putting brain training to the test. Nature 465, 775-8.
- Schreiber, M., et al. 1999. Potential of an interactive computer-based training in the rehabilitation of dementia: An initial study. Neuropsychol Rehabil 9, 155-67.
- Stern, Y., et al. 2011. Space Fortress game training and executive control in older adults: a pilot intervention. Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn 18, 653-77.
- Thompson-Schill, S. L., et al. 2005. The frontal lobes and the regulation of mental activity. Curr Opin Neurobiol 15, 219-24.
- Thurstone, L. L. and Thurstone T. G. 1938. Primary Mental Abilities. Chicago, Univ of Chicago Press.
- Twamley, E. W., et al. 2006. Neuropsychological and neuroimaging changes in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 12, 707-35.
- van Muijden, J., et al. 2012. Online games training aging brains: limited transfer to cognitive control functions. Front Hum Neurosci 6, 221.
- Wada, K., et al. 2005. Psychological and social effects of robot assisted activity to elderly people who stay at a health service facility for the aged. Proceedings on Robotics and Automation. Taiwan, September 2005.
- Wechsler, D. A. 1997. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Third edition. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation.
- Yeung, P. Y., et al. 2014. A validation study of the Hong Kong version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (HKMoCA) in Chinese older adults in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Med J 20, 504-10.
- Zaccarelli, C., et al. 2013. Computer-based cognitive intervention for dementia Sociable: motivating platform for elderly networking, mental reinforcement and social interaction. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Pervasive Computing Technologies for Healthcare and Workshops, 430-35.
Paper Citation
in Harvard Style
Yu R., Poon D., Ng A., Sit K., Lee J., Ma B., Lum C., Yeung F., Wong M., Hui E. and Woo J. (2015). Computer-assisted Intervention using Touch-screen Video Game Technology on Cognitive Function and Behavioural Symptoms for Community-dwelling Older Chinese Adults with Mild-to-Moderate Dementia - Preliminary Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial . In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health - Volume 1: AGEWELL, (CSEDU 2015) ISBN 978-989-758-102-1, pages 297-302. DOI: 10.5220/0005490402970302
in Bibtex Style
@conference{agewell15,
author={Ruby Yu and Dawn Poon and Ashley Ng and Kitty Sit and Jenny Lee and Bosco Ma and CM Lum and Fannie Yeung and Martin Wong and Elsie Hui and Jean Woo},
title={Computer-assisted Intervention using Touch-screen Video Game Technology on Cognitive Function and Behavioural Symptoms for Community-dwelling Older Chinese Adults with Mild-to-Moderate Dementia - Preliminary Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health - Volume 1: AGEWELL, (CSEDU 2015)},
year={2015},
pages={297-302},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0005490402970302},
isbn={978-989-758-102-1},
}
in EndNote Style
TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health - Volume 1: AGEWELL, (CSEDU 2015)
TI - Computer-assisted Intervention using Touch-screen Video Game Technology on Cognitive Function and Behavioural Symptoms for Community-dwelling Older Chinese Adults with Mild-to-Moderate Dementia - Preliminary Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial
SN - 978-989-758-102-1
AU - Yu R.
AU - Poon D.
AU - Ng A.
AU - Sit K.
AU - Lee J.
AU - Ma B.
AU - Lum C.
AU - Yeung F.
AU - Wong M.
AU - Hui E.
AU - Woo J.
PY - 2015
SP - 297
EP - 302
DO - 10.5220/0005490402970302