Cognitive training for mild neurocognitive disorder: a review of recent evidence and emerging directions

Older adults with mild neurocognitive disorder (MND), also referred to as mild cognitive impairment, exhibit measurable cognitive deficits while maintaining a relatively preserved autonomy, but are at increased dementia risk. Because learning capacity and neuroplasticity remain substantial during this stage, MND represents an important window for intervention. Cognitive training is increasingly studied in this population and encompasses a broad range of interventions designed to enhance cognitive function through either the repeated practice of targeted tasks (process-based approaches) or instruction of specific strategies (strategy-based approaches).

This review synthesizes recent evidence on cognitive training in MND focusing on: its efficacy and long-term effects; transfer effects to untrained cognitive tasks, everyday functioning, and psychological symptoms; intervention and participant characteristics associated with treatment response; mechanisms of action investigated using functional neuroimaging; and feasibility and implementation outcomes.

Cognitive training is promising for MND. It produces reliable short-term cognitive benefits, and although evidence for long-term effects on cognitive and clinical trajectory remain limited, findings from recent studies are encouraging. Future research should prioritize meaningful transfer to everyday functioning, identification of moderators and responders, and the optimization of implementation strategies across intervention types.