title: A randomized, two-year study of the efficacy of cognitive intervention on elderly people: the Donostia Longitudinal Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research on non-pharmacological therapies (cognitive rehabilitation) in old age has been very limited, and most has not considered the effect of interventions of this type over extended periods of time.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate a new cognitive therapy in a randomized study with elderly people who did not suffer cognitive impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The efficacy of this therapy was evaluated by means of post-hoc analysis of 238 people using biomedical, cognitive, behavioural, quality of life (QoL), subjective memory, and affective assessments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Scores for learning potential and different types of memory (working memory, immediate memory, logic memory) for the treatment group improved significantly relative to the untreated controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most significant finding in this study was that learning potential continued at enhanced levels in trained subjects over an intervention period lasting two years, thereby increasing rehabilitation potential and contributing to successful ageing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research and Development, Matia Gerontological Institute Foundation, Donostia, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buiza
authors.forename: Igone
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Etxeberria
authors.forename: Nerea
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Galdona
authors.forename: María Feliciana
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arriola
authors.forename: Adolfo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López de Munain
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Urdaneta
authors.forename: José Javier
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Yanguas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome