Board Games Among Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients Experience (GAME Project) (GAME-Project)

Effectiveness on Cognition of a Cognitive Training Intervention Based on Modern Board and Card Games in Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Nowadays, on geriatric centres, cognitive decline used to be prevented by pen and paper exercises (Calero García & Navarro Gonzalez, 2006). However, as Lampit et al. (2014) suggest, studies based on the efficacy and effectiveness of new cognitive-based interventions in order to improve these cognitive processes are fundamental (Lampit et al., 2014). Cognitive-based interventions are interventions that directly or indirectly try to improve cognitive processes (Chiu et al., 2017). Between the different kinds of cognitive-based interventions, cognitive training permits stablish randomized controlled trials. Cognitive training consists of repeating during a concrete time a standardized set of tasks in order to maintain or improve one or some cognitive processes. Meta-analysis studies have shown that computerized cognitive training can improve in a moderate size some cognitive processes in elderly people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia (Hill et al., 2017) and without those diagnoses (Lampit, Hallock, & Valenzuela, 2014; Chiu et al., 2017). Although it seems that computerized training is effective, safe and secure, it is important to note the social component of the definition of health (OMS, 1948). Chang, Wray & Lin (2014) found that social relationships predict the use of leisure activities and this predict a better physical health and wellbeing psychological. In fact, a comparative study found that those elderly people that have played board games have a 15% lower risk of having dementia diagnose and problems related with memory (Dartigues et al., 2013). To sum up, the aim of this research project is to test the effectiveness of a cognitive training based on modern board and card games in elderly people with a diagnose of mild-cognitive impairment in comparison to do cognitive paper and pencil tasks or in a wait-list comparison group.

Participants will play modern board and card games in groups at medical center 2 times per week for at least 1 hour over a period of 16 weeks.

Participants will do cognitive paper and pencil tasks in groups at medical center 2 times per week for at least 1 hour over a period of 16 weeks.

Participants will be in a wait-list over a period of 16 weeks. Then, they received the board and card games' or paper and pencil tasks' intervention.

Change in visuoconstruction, immediate memory and long-term memory from baseline to post intervention

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Self-reported and caregivers spanish versions. Higher scores mean higher neuropsychiatric symptomatology.

Euro Quality of Life Scale (EQ-5D), Self-reported and caregivers spanish versions. Higher scores mean higher quality of life. Visual analogue scale: minimum value=0, maximum value=100.

Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Spanish version. Higher scores mean higher depressive symptomatology. Minimum value = 0, maximum value = 15.

Inclusion Criteria: Participation in cognitive disease center Amnestic MCI diagnoses (clinical diagnoses following the guidelines of Petersen et al. 2011) Global deterioration scale (GDS) 2-3 values Participation assessing outcomes of the caregivers in the study Exclusion Criteria: Participation in another cognitive training program Dementia, neurologic or other disease non-neurodegenerative, which could affect cognitive change over time (medical-reported) Severe visual impairment, language impairment or motoric impairment of the upper extremity which significantly affects ability to solve jigsaw puzzles (medical-reported)

Calero García, M. D., & Navarro Gonzalez, E. (2006). Eficacia de un programa de entrenamiento en memoria en el mantenimiento de ancianos con y sin deterioro cognitivo. Clínica y Salud, 17(2), 187-202.

Chang PJ, Wray L, Lin Y. Social relationships, leisure activity, and health in older adults. Health Psychol. 2014 Jun;33(6):516-23. doi: 10.1037/hea0000051.

Chiu HL, Chu H, Tsai JC, Liu D, Chen YR, Yang HL, Chou KR. The effect of cognitive-based training for the healthy older people: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLoS One. 2017 May 1;12(5):e0176742. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176742. eCollection 2017.

Dartigues JF, Foubert-Samier A, Le Goff M, Viltard M, Amieva H, Orgogozo JM, Barberger-Gateau P, Helmer C. Playing board games, cognitive decline and dementia: a French population-based cohort study. BMJ Open. 2013 Aug 29;3(8):e002998. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-002998.

Hill NT, Mowszowski L, Naismith SL, Chadwick VL, Valenzuela M, Lampit A. Computerized Cognitive Training in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Am J Psychiatry. 2017 Apr 1;174(4):329-340. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16030360. Epub 2016 Nov 14.

Lampit A, Hallock H, Valenzuela M. Computerized cognitive training in cognitively healthy older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of effect modifiers. PLoS Med. 2014 Nov 18;11(11):e1001756. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001756. eCollection 2014 Nov.