Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 29, 2025
13:35
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Simultaneous Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: April 27, 2014
21.8K
Mitigating cellular aging and enhancing cognitive functionality: visual arts-mediated Cognitive Activation Therapy in
Manuela Campisi1, Luana Cannella1, Dilek Celik1
1Occupational Medicine, Department of Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
|March 25, 2024
Summary
Visual arts-mediated Cognitive Activation Therapy (CAT) can slow cellular aging by lengthening leukocyte telomere length (LTL), particularly in men. This non-pharmacological approach also improved cognitive and functional abilities in patients with neurocognitive disorders.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuroscience
- Biogerontology
Background:
- Population aging is increasing dementia prevalence, posing significant global economic challenges.
- Dementia care is increasingly integrating non-pharmacological interventions.
- Biological aging markers and cognitive function are key indicators in neurocognitive disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate visual arts-mediated Cognitive Activation Therapy (CAT) as a non-pharmacological intervention for dementia.
- To assess CAT's impact on biological aging markers: leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and DNA methylation age (DNAmAge).
- To evaluate CAT's effects on cognitive and functional status in patients with neurocognitive disorders.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study involving 20 patients with mild to moderate neurocognitive disorders.
- Analysis of cognitive and functional assessments before and after CAT intervention.
- Measurement of biological aging markers (LTL and DNAmAge) pre- and post-intervention.
Main Results:
- Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) significantly elongated after CAT intervention (p=0.0269), especially in men (p=0.0142).
- LTL elongation correlated positively with treatment duration (p=0.0518), younger age (p=0.0357), and higher education (p=0.0008).
- Significant cognitive and functional improvements were observed in various domains (p<0.0001), while DNAmAge remained stable.
Conclusions:
- Visual arts-mediated CAT effectively mitigates cellular aging by elongating LTL, particularly in men.
- CAT demonstrates potential in enhancing cognitive and functional status in dementia care.
- Non-pharmacological interventions like CAT offer promising avenues for improving well-being in aging populations.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
96
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
96
01:26Aging
49
Aging is a complex biological phenomenon influenced by various processes that affect cellular and systemic functions. Several prominent theories attempt to explain its mechanisms, highlighting cellular limitations, oxidative damage, and hormonal changes as central factors in aging.
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
49
01:30Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists
122
Cognitive enhancers, also known as "smart drugs," are substances used to enhance memory, mental alertness, and concentration. These can be natural or synthetic and improve cognition in conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Some common examples include caffeine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil, arecoline, donepezil, vortioxetine, and piracetam. These enhancers work on the principle of synaptic plasticity and altered circuit function.
122
01:25Cognitive Therapy
152
Cognitive therapy, pioneered by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s, is a structured approach to addressing psychological distress by focusing on the influence of thoughts on emotions and behaviors. All cognitive therapies involve the basic assumption that human beings have control over their feelings, and that how individuals feel about something depends on how they think about it. Unlike psychoanalytic methods that delve into unconscious processes or humanistic approaches emphasizing...
152
01:17Cognitivism
1.4K
Cognitive psychology emerged as a significant field in the mid-20th century. It focused on understanding humans' internal mental processes. This approach emphasizes how people perceive, remember, think, and solve problems—elements critical to human cognition.
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process...
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process...
1.4K