Cognitive agility

Executive function and memory rehabilitation

As dementia effectively means the loss of cognitive and memory abilities, helping the elderly maintain these abilities is a direct approach that forestalls dementia (Barclay, 2009) and should help the elderly maintain other aspects of their lives.  Cognitive rehabilitation, also cognitive remediation, focuses on executive function (EF) and memory in a way that creates common strategies for diverse therapies concerned with the prefrontal cortex--brain injuries, angioma, ADHD, schizophrenia, and dementia--with its cognitive flexibility, working memory, and planning functionalities.

As cognitive rehabilitation is time-costly, it tends to focus only on the immediate needs of lower-functioning cognitive abilities, and higher executive dysfunctions may never get addressed.  A universal antidote for high cost is, of course, computer automation, and this has not gone unnoticed by cognitive rehabilitators.  Virtual reality (VR) is emerging as a supportive strategy (Castelnuovo, 2003) that is being received with enthusiasm by both clinicians (Weiss, 2009) and patients (da Costa, 2004).  Efficacy-testing, which is also in early stages, is showing benefits for schizophrenics so far (Chan, 2010). 

Interestingly, Web surfing has been shown through imaging to stimulate decision-making components of EF in the elderly, though the benefit only comes with Internet experience (Parker-Pope, 2008).


References

Barclay, L. , Hall, C., Lipton, R., Sliwinski, M., Katz, MJ, Derby, C., Verghese, J. (2009). Cognitive activities delay onset of memory decline in persons who develop dementia. Neurology 73, 356-361

Castelnuovo, G., Lo Priore, C., Liccione, D., 3, Cioffi, G. (2003). Virtual Reality based tools for the rehabilitation of cognitive and executive functions: the V-STORE. PsychNology Journal, 1(3), 310-325.

Chan, C., Ngai, E., Leung, P., & Wong, S. (2010). Effect of the adapted virtual reality cognitive training program among Chinese older adults with chronic schizophrenia: a pilot study. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 25(6), 643-649. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

da Costa, R., & de Carvalho, L. (2004). The acceptance of virtual reality devices for cognitive rehabilitation: a report of positive results with schizophrenia. Computer Methods & Programs in Biomedicine, 73(3), 173. doi:10.1016/S0169-2607(03)00066-X.

Parker-Pope, T. (2008, October 16). Surfing the Internet boosts aging brains. New York Times. Retrieved October 20, 2008, from http://well.blogs.nytimes. com/2008/10/16/does-the-internet-boost-your-brainpower

Weiss, P., Sveistrup, H., Rand, D., & Kizony, R. (2009). Video capture virtual reality: A decade of rehabilitation assessment and intervention. Physical Therapy Reviews, 14(5), 307-321. doi:10.1179/108331909X12488667117339.