Memory training for adults with mild cognitive impairment

Background: Deficits in memory performance are often nonspecific predictors of cognitive decline and may portend a future diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: This study had 2 aims: (1) identify participants who might have MCI and (2) evaluate how this subgroup of participants fared over the 24 months in this longitudinal randomized trial. MCI was defined as a subjective change in cognition, impairment in episodic memory, preservation of independence of functional abilities, and not demented. Participants were assigned to 12 hours of either memory or health training. The Senior WISE intervention was derived from Bandura's self‐efficacy theory and provided a unique package of cognitive skill development. The memory‐training intervention consisted of 4 components: stress inoculation, health promotion, memory self‐efficacy, and memory strategy training. The control group received 18 hours of health training. Of the 263 total participants, 39 met the criteria for MCI. The sample was 79% females, 71% Caucasian, 17% Hispanic, and 12% African American with an average age of 75 years and an average education level of 13 years. Results: There were 19 adults in the memory training and 20 in the health training conditions. Compared with the normal group, the MCI group was younger, was more likely to be African American, was more depressed, had lower MMSE and episodic memory scores, reported more memory complaints, and had lower scores of daily functioning. Over 24 months, the MCI group in the memory training condition showed better objective and subjective memory outcomes compared with the health training condition. Conclusion: Memory training delivered in small groups was a robust mechanism to reduce the negative consequences of declining cognitive ability in persons with MCI and sustain the benefit over 2 years in both subjective and objective memory function.