Improvements in performance based measures of functional capacity and cognition after computerized functional skills training in older people with mild cognitive impairment and healthy comparators.

Overview

With no pharmacological treatments for Mild Cognitive impairment (MCI), computerized training strategies have been attempted. A computerized skills training intervention, FUNSAT, previously produced training-related gains in cognition in MCI and in comparators with normal cognition (NC). A new remotely delivered version of FUNSAT was administered to a new sample of participants with NC and MCI. Outcomes measures included cognition (BAC) and functional capacity (VRFCAT) to examine training transfer. Participants with MCI (n = 92) and NC (n = 72) trained for up to 12 weeks on FUNSAT. Half the MCI participants started with 3 weeks of computerized cognitive training (CCT). Baseline, post-training, and 30-day follow-up scores on cognition and functional capacity were compared. Participants improved on both cognition (d = 0.80) and functional capacity (d = 0.64), with no differences in training gains across MCI and NC, although treatment with CCT in MCI was associated with similar gains with fewer FUNSAT training sessions. This is the first treatment study in MCI to demonstrate transfer to untrained measures of functional capacity. NC improved in cognition and functional capacity with skills training alone. These findings have implications for other conditions, such as schizophrenia, where functional capacity is a treatment target.