title: Effects of Cognitive Leisure Activity on Cognition in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that a long-term, structured cognitive leisure activity program is more effective than a health education program at reducing the risk of further cognitive decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment syndrome (MCI), a high risk for dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 3-arm, single-blind randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 201 Japanese adults with MCI (mean age: 76.0 years, 52% women).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were randomized into 1 of 2 cognitive leisure activity programs (60 minutes weekly for 40 weeks): dance (n = 67) and playing musical instruments (n = 67), or a health education control group (n = 67).
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary outcomes were memory function changes at 40 weeks. Secondary outcomes included changes in Mini-Mental State Examination and nonmemory domain (Trail Making Tests A and B) scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 40 weeks, the dance group showed improved memory recall scores compared with controls [mean change (SD): dance group 0.73 (1.9) vs controls 0.01 (1.9); P = .011], whereas the music group did not show an improvement compared with controls (P = .123). Both dance [mean change (SD): 0.29 (2.6); P = .026] and music groups [mean change (SD): 0.46 (2.1); P = .008] showed improved Mini-Mental State Examination scores compared with controls [mean change (SD): -0.36 (2.3)]. No difference in the nonmemory cognitive tests was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term cognitive leisure activity programs involving dance or playing musical instruments resulted in improvements in memory and general cognitive function compared with a health education program in older adults with MCI.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  UMIN-CTR UMIN000014261.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Neurology and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY. Electronic address: take-d@ncgg.go.jp.
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY.
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Verghese
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Hyuma
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Makizako
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Kota
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsutsumimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hotta
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Sho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakakubo
authors.affiliation: National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan; Institute for Gerontology, J.F. Oberlin University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimada
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D016037:Single-Blind Method
keywords: MCI; brain; cognitive function; dementia