ISRCTN - ISRCTN72895114: Can brain training lead to short term and sustained improvements in cognitive function?
Can brain training lead to short term and sustained improvements in cognitive function?
1. In adults of all ages, there will be significant improvements in global cognition measured by a composite cognitive score in people allocated to RBT compared to those allocated to control after 6 weeks and 12 months of brain training.
1. In people over the age of 60, instrumental activites of daily living (IADL) will be significantly improved in people allocated to RBT compared to those allocated to a control treatment after 12 months of brain training.
1. RBT will focus upon tasks related to reasoning and problem solving. In the Willis et al (2006) study, which provides the best evidence base for sustained benefit, reasoning training was the only brain training that conferred generalised benefits on other aspects of cognition and everyday activities. The recommendation is for participants to complete the training for 10 minutes every day, although with flexibility to do more or less than the recommended amount. An initial feasibility pilot of the brain training package has been completed on 22 older individuals which has been very well received and enabled minor presentational issues to be addressed.
2. GBT will cover a range of cognitive tests other than reasoning/problem solving found in commercial brain training games. Again the recommendation is for participants to complete the training for 10 minutes every day.
3. Control: the control group will perform an internet search based task every day.