1 eCampus University, Novedrate, Italy.
2 Azienda Sanitaria Locale Torino 3, Collegno, Italy.
J Appl Gerontol. 2018 Oct;37(10):1215-1224. doi: 10.1177/0733464816662964. Epub 2016 Aug 17.
Cognitive training allows patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) to reinforce their cognitive abilities. Here, we investigated the generalizability of trained skills to novel tasks, and their stability over time.
One patient underwent a structured cognitive training using the GEO (Geographical Exercise for cognitive Optimization) task, whereas 10 patients underwent a control intervention. Participants' performances on the GEO task, on a similar untrained task, and on a different untrained task were recorded before and after the intervention, and at the 24-month follow-up.
On both the trained and the similar untrained tasks, patient's and controls' performance significantly differed from one another, with trained patient showing a significant acquirement of procedural skills that were maintained over time.
Our preliminary evidence showed that a cognitive training could allow patients to acquire and maintain new skills not only on performing a trained task but surprisingly also on a similar untrained task.
认知训练可使阿尔茨海默病（AD）患者增强认知能力。在这里，我们研究了训练技能向新任务的泛化能力及其随时间的稳定性。
一名患者接受了基于 GEO（认知优化地理练习）任务的结构化认知训练，而 10 名患者接受了对照干预。在干预前后和 24 个月随访时，记录了参与者在 GEO 任务、类似未训练任务和不同未训练任务上的表现。
在训练任务和相似的未训练任务上，患者和对照组的表现明显不同，训练后的患者表现出显著的程序性技能习得，且随着时间的推移得以维持。
我们的初步证据表明，认知训练不仅可以使患者在执行训练任务时获得和保持新技能，而且可以令人惊讶地在类似的未训练任务上获得和保持新技能。
