Home-based personalized cognitive training in MS patients: a study of adherence and cognitive performance.
OBJECTIVE
To explore unprompted adherence to a personalized, home-based, computerized cognitive training program in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and to examine the impact of training on cognitive performance.


METHODS
Participants were assigned to a training (n=59) or a control group (n=48). Those in the training group were instructed to train three times a week for 12 weeks. The control group received no training. All participants were evaluated with a Neuropsychological Examination (N-CPC) at baseline and at the end of the study.


RESULTS
In the training group, 42 (71.2%) participants adhered to the training schedule and 22 (37.3%) completed the entire training regimen. In the control group, 24 (50.0%) participants agreed to be retested on the N-CPC. The training group showed a significant improvement over that shown by the control group in three memory-based cognitive abilities (general memory, visual working memory and verbal working memory). Post-hoc exploration of data from the N-CPC showed that cognitive training was also associated with increased naming speed, speed of information recall, focused attention and visuo-motor vigilance.


CONCLUSIONS
The appreciable rates of adherence and cognitive improvements observed indicate that personalized cognitive training is a practical and valuable tool to improve cognitive skills and encourage neuronal plasticity in patients with MS.
Shatil
Evelyn
E
Department of Psychology and the Center for Psychobiological Research, Max Stern Academic College of Emek Yezreel, and CogniFit Ltd, Yoqneam Ilit, Israel. evelyns@yvc.ac.il
Metzer
Avishag
A
Horvitz
Omer
O
Miller
Ariel
A
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric