title: Cognitive training for early-stage Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
abstract: The purpose of this article is to critically review and synthesize the literature on the effects of nonpharmacological cognitive training on dementia symptoms in early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementia. Electronic databases MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane Library were searched using the keywords cognition, reality orientation, Alzheimer's disease, psychosocial factors, cognitive therapy, brain plasticity, enriched environments, and memory training. The findings support that cognitive training improves cognition, activities of daily living, and decision making. Interventions are more effective if they are structured and focus on specific known losses related to the AD pathological process and a person's residual ability, or are combined with cognitive-enhancing medications. Nursing implications are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota School of Nursing, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. yuxxx244@umn.edu
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Karen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Sandra C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Burgener
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Linda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Buettner
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Beattie
authors.forename: Ann L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bossen
authors.forename: Kathleen C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Buckwalter
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Fick
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fitzsimmons
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kolanowski
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Janet
authors.forename: Pringle
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Specht
authors.forename: Nancy E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Richeson
authors.forename: Ingelin
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Testad
authors.forename: Sharon E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: McKenzie