title: Cognitive stimulation in cognitively impaired individuals and cognitively healthy individuals with a family history of dementia: short-term results from the "Allena-Mente" randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the short-term efficacy of a protocol of cognitive stimulation (CS), compared with a sham intervention, on cognitive performance in cognitively healthy individuals with a family history of dementia (NDFAM) and in non-demented individuals with cognitive impairment (CI).
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a randomized controlled trial of CS in NDFAM and CI. CS consisted in 10 twice weekly meetings of CS focused on a specific cognitive area. CS was compared with a sham intervention (CT) using Mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and the Corsi test. All study participants were typed for the presence of apolipoprotein E (APOE)-Ɛ4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cognitively healthy NDFAM showed a higher net cognitive gain after CS, as reflected in their MoCA score, and a borderline significant net increase in visuospatial memory (Corsi test) compared with those receiving the CT. APOE-Ɛ4 carriers showed a less significant improvement on the Corsi test with respect to APOE-Ɛ4 non-carriers. In the CI sample, the MoCA and Corsi test results did not differ between the cognitively stimulated subjects and the controls. No changes in MMSE scores were found in either sample of subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that CS as structured in this study is an effective treatment in cognitively healthy individuals, whereas it is less effective in individuals with CI. Moreover, evaluation of APOE-Ɛ4 status provided evidence of a substantial genetic contribution to the efficacy of CS on visuospatial memory as measured using the Corsi test.
authors.affiliation: "Golgi Cenci" Foundation, Abbiategrasso, Italy.
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Polito
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abbondanza
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vaccaro
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Davin
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Degrate
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Villani
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guaita
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000235:genetics; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003704:Dementia / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
chemical_list: D053327:Apolipoprotein E4
keywords: APOE; aging; cognitive stimulation; dementia; mild cognitive impairment