Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2024 Apr 1;79(4). doi: 10.1093/gerona/glae046.
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of computerized cognitive training (CCT) on white matter (WM) neuroplasticity and neuropsychological performance.
A total of 128 community older adults (64.36 ± 6.14 years) were recruited and randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Participants in the intervention group received a home-based, multidomain, and adaptive CCT for 30 minutes, 2 days per week for 1 year. Neuropsychological assessments, diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and T1-weighted structural MRI were performed at the pre- and post-intervention visits.
Eighty-one of 128 participants (41 in the intervention group and 40 in the control group) completed the 1-year intervention, and 61 of them (27 in the intervention group and 34 in the control group) underwent MRI scans twice. After excluding attrition bias, a significant time-by-group interaction on the Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT; F = 51.85, p < .001) was found, showing improvement in the intervention group and a decline in the control group. At the brain level, the intervention group exhibited increased axial diffusivity in the left posterior thalamic radiation, and this increase was significantly correlated with reduced SCWT reaction time (r = ‒0.42, p = .029). No significant time-by-group interactions were found for gray matter volume.
Our findings suggest that conducting multidomain adaptive CCT is an effective and feasible method to counteract cognitive decline in older adults, with WM neuroplasticity underpinning cognitive improvements. This study contributes to the understanding of the neural basis for the beneficial effect of CCT for older adults.
本研究旨在评估计算机化认知训练（CCT）对白质（WM）神经可塑性和神经心理学表现的有效性。
共招募了 128 名社区老年人（64.36±6.14 岁），并将其随机分为干预组和对照组。干预组的参与者接受了为期 1 年的家庭多领域自适应 CCT，每周 2 天，每天 30 分钟。在干预前后的访问中进行了神经心理学评估、弥散磁共振成像（MRI）和 T1 加权结构 MRI。
在 128 名参与者中，有 81 名（干预组 41 名，对照组 40 名）完成了 1 年的干预，其中 61 名（干预组 27 名，对照组 34 名）进行了两次 MRI 扫描。在排除了缺失值偏差后，在 Stroop 颜色-词测试（SCWT；F=51.85，p<0.001）上发现了显著的时间-组交互作用，表明干预组的表现有所改善，而对照组的表现则有所下降。在大脑水平上，干预组的左侧丘脑后辐射的轴向弥散度增加，而这种增加与 SCWT 反应时间的减少呈显著相关（r=-0.42，p=0.029）。在灰质体积方面，未发现显著的时间-组交互作用。
我们的研究结果表明，进行多领域自适应 CCT 是一种有效且可行的方法，可以抵抗老年人的认知能力下降，WM 神经可塑性是认知能力提高的基础。本研究为理解 CCT 对老年人有益效果的神经基础做出了贡献。
