title: One-year repeated cycles of cognitive training (CT) for Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent research suggests that a combination of both pharmacological and psychosocial treatments targeting cognitive functions improves cognition in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a 1-year cognitive training (CT) by comparing the cognitive performance of 16 patients with AD treated with CT and cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) (experimental group) with the performance of 16 patients treated with a non-specific cognitive treatment and ChEIs (control group).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was a single-blind randomized controlled trial. The patients in the experimental group received pharmacological treatment and repeated cycles of CT for 1 year, whereas the control group received pharmacological treatment and repeated cycles of non-specific cognitive exercises. The patients in the two groups were administered a variety of neuropsychological tests measuring several cognitive functions (i.e. memory, language, reasoning, executive function, working memory and apraxia), activities of daily living, and depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 1 year of training, the experimental group scored significantly higher on the Mini Mental State Examination, the Milan Overall Dementia Assessment battery and in other five neuropsychological tests, compared to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Present results suggest that repeated cycles of CT in patients with AD treated with ChEIs are associated with benefits in several areas of cognitive function.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, 35133 Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bergamaschi
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arcara
authors.forename: Attilio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calza
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Villani
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Orgeta
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mondini
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors