Intervention results of cognitive training on cognitive function of the elderly in a community

Objective To explore the impact of cognitive training on cognitive function of the elderly in a community. Methods Ninety elderly people at and above sixty years old in a community of Shanghai were recruited in the study, and were divided into two groups:the cognitive training group and the control group. The cognitive training group conducted cognitive training for 12 weeks (24 times), a comprehensive training method incorporating cognitive training courses with Lumosity (a brain functional exercise software). The two groups were evaluated before and after the intervention with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA). Results Before the intervention, the scores of four fields (i.e. visual space and executive function, naming, delayed recall, and directional force) and the total score for the cognitive training group were higher than the control group (P<0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in other three fields (i.e. attention, language ability and abstract ability) between the two groups (P>0.05).After the intervention, the scores of four fields (i.e. visual space and executive function, attention, abstract, delayed recall) and the total score for the cognitive group improved, compared with the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Cognitive training could improve or maintain cognitive function for the elderly in the community.