title: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of Nonpharmacological Interventions for Old-Old Subjects with a Clinical Dementia Rating of 0.5: The Kurihara Project.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence as to the benefits of nonpharmacological interventions for the boundary state between normal aging and dementia [mild cognitive impairment or a Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) of 0.5] remains weak due to a lack of positive controls.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To directly compare the effects of cognitive interventions (CI), physical activities (PA) and a group reminiscence approach (GRA), we conducted a pilot study on the basis of a cluster randomized controlled trial design.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 127 participants aged >74 years with a CDR of 0.5 were cluster randomized into three groups for CI, PA and GRA. The intervention lasted 12 weeks and consisted of weekly group sessions and home assignments. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Trail Making Test part A (TMT-A), word fluency (WF), 6-meter walk time and Quality of Life (QOL) Face Scale scores were evaluated as primary outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Methodology-related benefits of CI and PA were found for MMSE scores and walk time, respectively. TMT-A, WF and QOL Face Scale scores improved irrespective of the methodologies used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that CI and PA may be beneficial to cognitive and physical abilities, respectively. Executive functions and QOL may improve irrespective of the intervention methodologies used.
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Behavioral Neurology, Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center (CYRIC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakatsuka
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Behavioral Neurology, Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center (CYRIC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Behavioral Neurology, Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center (CYRIC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hamanosono
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Behavioral Neurology, Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center (CYRIC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Behavioral Neurology, Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center (CYRIC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kasai
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Behavioral Neurology, Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center (CYRIC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Behavioral Neurology, Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center (CYRIC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Teiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suto
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryoichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nagatomi
authors.affiliation: Division of Geriatric Behavioral Neurology, Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center (CYRIC), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meguro
keywords: Clinical Dementia Rating; Nonpharmacological intervention; Old-old subjects