Effectiveness of Functional Mobile Games to Enhance Attention in Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Study...

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of functional games on attention in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), addressing the limited focus on specific cognitive domains in existing research. Additionally, it explored how functional games may stimulate multiple cognitive domains, contributing to overall cognitive improvement.

This randomized controlled trial recruited 80 participants with MCI from April to June 2023 through outpatient visits at the Neurology Department of Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University, and public advertisements. Participants were randomly assigned to the treatment or control group. The treatment group engaged in functional games at least three times per week for 12 weeks. Measurements were conducted at baseline and after the intervention period.

Among 71 participants, improvement in the attention domain of the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) was more significant in the treatment group (42.11%) than in the control group (18.18%, p=0.003). Clinical dementia rating (CDR) analysis showed a slower cognitive decline in the treatment group (p=0.033), while no significant changes were observed in mini-mental state examination scores.

The intervention demonstrated a significant improvement in attention as measured by MoCA and a slower progression of cognitive decline as indicated by CDR, highlighting its potential effectiveness in enhancing cognitive function and mitigating cognitive decline in older adults. These findings support using such interventions as a viable strategy for cognitive improvement.