title: Nurse-Enhanced Memory Intervention in Heart Failure: the MEMOIR study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many patients with heart failure (HF) have cognitive deficits, including memory loss.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a cognitive training intervention on memory (primary outcome), working memory, psychomotor speed, executive function, and performance of cognitive activities and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty patients with HF were randomly assigned to the computerized plasticity-based cognitive training intervention called Brain Fitness or to the health education active control intervention. Advanced practice nurses made weekly home visits to assess symptoms and monitor intervention adherence. Patients completed demographic and clinical data (baseline), neuropsychologic tests (baseline and 8 and 12 weeks), and measures of cognitive and IADLs performance (baseline and 12 weeks) and satisfaction (12 weeks). Linear mixed models analyses indicated a significant group by time interaction for delayed recall memory (P = .032) and a significant time effect for total (list learning) (P < .001) and delayed (P = .015) recall memory, psychomotor speed (P = .029), and performance of IADLs (P = .006). Intervention adherence and patient satisfaction were high.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this was the first test of Brain Fitness in HF. Although it was a preliminary study with limitations, results support the need for a larger randomized controlled trial to determine whether the memory loss of HF is amenable to plasticity-based interventions.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA. spressle@umich.edu
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Pressler
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Therrien
authors.forename: Penny L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.forename: Cheng-Chen
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Ronis
authors.forename: Todd M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Koelling
authors.forename: Dean G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Barbara Jean
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Ann-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Frankini
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giordani
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009736:Nursing Process; D016896:Treatment Outcome