Effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation on mild cognitive impairment using teleneuropsychology

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the continuity of cognitive rehabilitation worldwide. However, the use of teleneuropsychology to provide cognitive rehabilitation has contributed significantly to the continuity of the treatment. Objectives: To measure the effects of cognitive telerehabilitation on cognition, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and memory strategies in a cohort of patients with mild cognitive impairment. Methods: A sample of 60 patients with mild cognitive impairment according to Petersen’s criteria was randomly divided into two groups: 30 treatment cases and 30 controls (waiting list group). Subjects were matched by age, sex, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment. The treatment group received ten cognitive telerehabilitation sessions of 45 minutes duration once a week. Pre-treatment (week 0) and post-treatment (week 10) measures were assessed for both groups. Different linear mixed models were estimated to test treatment effect (cognitive telerehabilitation vs. controls) on each outcome of interest over time (pre/post-intervention). Results: A significant group (control/treatment) x time (pre/post) interaction revealed that the treatment group at week 10 had better scores in cognitive variables: memory (RAVLT learning trials p=0.030; RAVLT delayed recall p=0.029), phonological fluency (p=0.001), activities of daily living (FAQ p=0.001), satisfaction with memory performance (MMQ satisfaction p=0.004) and use of memory strategies (MMQ strategy p=0.000), as well as, and a significant reduction of affective symptomatology: depression (GDS p=0.000), neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPI-Q p=0.045), forgetfulness (EDO-10 p=0.000), and stress (DAS stress p=0.000). Conclusions: Our study suggests that CTR is an effective intervention.

[1]  A. Budson,et al.  Home-Based Electronic Cognitive Therapy in Patients With Alzheimer Disease: Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial , 2021, JMIR formative research.

[2]  M. Yassuda,et al.  Working Group Recommendations for the Practice of Teleneuropsychology in Latin America , 2021, Archives of clinical neuropsychology : the official journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists.

[3]  T. Platz,et al.  Telemedicine and Virtual Reality at Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: An Overview for Future Perspectives in Neurorehabilitation , 2021, Frontiers in Neurology.

[4]  L. Ruano,et al.  Global Cognitive Impairment Prevalence and Incidence in Community Dwelling Older Adults—A Systematic Review , 2020, Geriatrics.

[5]  Rosalba Giugno,et al.  Telemedicine and Virtual Reality for Cognitive Rehabilitation: A Roadmap for the COVID-19 Pandemic , 2020, Frontiers in Neurology.

[6]  D. Bowers,et al.  Validity of teleneuropsychology for older adults in response to COVID-19: A systematic and critical review , 2020, The Clinical neuropsychologist.

[7]  J. Finlay,et al.  Validation of the Argentine version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test (MOCA): A screening tool for Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Dementia in Elderly , 2020, Dementia & neuropsychologia.

[8]  Mu-li Hu,et al.  The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 in Chinese Hospital Workers: Reliability, Latent Structure, and Measurement Invariance Across Genders , 2020, Frontiers in Psychology.

[9]  A. M. Leontovich,et al.  The species Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus: classifying 2019-nCoV and naming it SARS-CoV-2 , 2020, Nature Microbiology.

[10]  E. Aguglia,et al.  Diagnostic and interventional implications of telemedicine in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: A literature review , 2020, International journal of geriatric psychiatry.

[11]  A. Abdullah,et al.  The Efficacy of Cognitive Training for Elderly Chinese Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment , 2019, BioMed research international.

[12]  F. Molteni,et al.  Efficiency and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures From Clinic to Home: The Human Empowerment Aging and Disability Program for Digital-Health Rehabilitation , 2019, Front. Neurol..

[13]  Maureen K. o’Connor,et al.  The Aging Well through Interaction and Scientific Education (AgeWISE) Program , 2018, Clinical gerontologist.

[14]  M. Nuno,et al.  The Efficacy of Cognitive Intervention in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI): a Meta-Analysis of Outcomes on Neuropsychological Measures , 2017, Neuropsychology Review.

[15]  Clarissa Ferrari,et al.  Cognitive telerehabilitation in mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia: A systematic review , 2017, Journal of telemedicine and telecare.

[16]  Lucy Dodakian,et al.  A Home-Based Telerehabilitation Program for Patients With Stroke , 2017, Neurorehabilitation and neural repair.

[17]  Francesco Amenta,et al.  Telerehabilitation: Review of the State-of-the-Art and Areas of Application , 2017, JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologies.

[18]  S. Ryu,et al.  Multimodal Cognitive Enhancement Therapy for Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Dementia: A Multi- Center, Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind, Crossover Trial. , 2016, Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD.

[19]  B. Riffo,et al.  Propiedades psicométricas del cuestionario multidimensional de memoria en población chilena adulta , 2013 .

[20]  Martin van Boxtel,et al.  Cognitive interventions in healthy older adults and people with mild cognitive impairment: A systematic review , 2013, Ageing Research Reviews.

[21]  C. Jack,et al.  Mild cognitive impairment: ten years later. , 2009, Archives of neurology.

[22]  J. Morris,et al.  Validity and reliability of the AD8 informant interview in dementia , 2006, Neurology.

[23]  J. Giacino,et al.  Evidence-based cognitive rehabilitation: updated review of the literature from 1998 through 2002. , 2005, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

[24]  J. Cummings,et al.  Validation of the NPI-Q, a brief clinical form of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. , 2000, The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences.

[25]  R. Petersen,et al.  Aging, Memory, and Mild Cognitive Impairment , 1997, International Psychogeriatrics.

[26]  N Butters,et al.  Episodic and semantic memory: a comparison of amnesic and demented patients. , 1987, Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology.

[27]  J. Yesavage,et al.  Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): Recent evidence and development of a shorter version. , 1986 .

[28]  T. Kurosaki,et al.  Measurement of functional activities in older adults in the community. , 1982, Journal of gerontology.

[29]  Enrique J. Gómez,et al.  Improving Brain Injury Cognitive Rehabilitation by Personalized Telerehabilitation Services: Guttmann Neuropersonal Trainer , 2015, IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics.

[30]  Camila Vieira Ligo Teixeira,et al.  Non-pharmacological interventions on cognitive functions in older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). , 2012, Archives of gerontology and geriatrics.

[31]  R. Jáuregui,et al.  Enfermedad de Alzheimer , 2016, Revista de Medicina de la Universidad de Navarra.