Five-year effects of cognitive training in individuals with mild cognitive impairment.

Introduction: In a 5-year follow-up study, we investigated the enduring effects of cognitive training on older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods: A randomized controlled single-blind trial involved 145 older adults with MCI, assigned to cognitive training (MEMO+), an active control psychosocial intervention, or a no-contact condition. Five-year effects were measured on immediate and delayed memory recall, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment screening test (MoCA), self-reported strategy use, and daily living difficulties.

Results: At follow-up, participants who received cognitive training showed a smaller decline in delayed memory and maintained MoCA scores, contrasting with greater declines in the control groups. Cognitive training participants outperformed controls in both delayed memory and MoCA scores at the 5-year time point. No significant group differences were observed in self-reported strategy use or difficulties in daily living.

Discussion: Cognitive training provides long-term benefits by mitigating memory decline and slowing clinical symptom progression in older adults with MCI.

Highlights: Cognitive training reduced the 5-year memory decline of persons with MCI.Cognitive training also reduced decline on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).No intervention effect was found on strategy use or activities of daily living.