Comparison of the effect of computerized multidomain cognitive training and pen‐and‐paper educational program in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a preliminary randomized controlled trial

Background Cognitive intervention is accepted as a potential therapy to prevent the incident dementia. It was found that computerized cognitive training might be effective for older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in previous studies. We aimed to find the effect of multidomain cognitive training using tablet computer on the cognitive and psychological function in patients with MCI. Method Participants in training group (n = 15) conducted a multidomain cognitive training program using table computer and those in control group (n = 13) conducted an educational book reading twice a week for eight weeks. They were evaluated of their cognitive and psychiatric function before and after the program. The differences of the pre‐ and post‐ scores were compared between training and control groups. Result Participants in training group showed improvement in cognitive domains such as language (p = 0.012), memory (p = 0.050), and frontal executive function (p = 0.017), and psychiatric symptoms such as apathy (p = 0.001) and quality of life (p = 0.035) after the training. Control group participants showed improvements in frontal executive function (p = 0.013), positive affect (p = 0.019), apathy (p = 0.022) and mild behavioral impairment score (p = 0.049). Between group comparison of the pre‐ and post‐training difference showed significant improvement in training group compared to control group in memory (p = 0.020), frontal executive function (p = 0.024), positive affect (p = 0.037), apathy (p = 0.048), and quality of life (p = 0.047). Conclusion We found the effect of multidomain cognitive training using tablet computer in cognitive domain including memory and executive function, positive affect, apathy, and quality of life in MCI patients. Tablet computer cognitive training may be effective in multidomain cognitive training with transfer effect in the prodromal stage of dementia. Future trials with larger sample size and various devices would find the effect of the computerized cognitive training.