A few simple computer games can improve the control of the evolution of the cognitive capacity of people with a high risk of suffering from Alzheimer's. And not only that. Depending on the results they offer, the treatments could also be customized. This is established by a study, published in iScience, which has been led by the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute and the BarcelonaBeta Brain Research Center, a research center of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation.
The tool has been analyzed with 56 volunteers who have a diagnosis of subjective cognitive decline, that is to say, who have begun to perceive (for at least six months) memory errors "and who are a little worse than their acquaintances of the same age", Natàlia Soldevila, first author of the publication and researcher at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, explains to La Vanguardia. These people were playing a set of 36 games (designed by the company NeuronUP) for 12 months in three weekly 30-minute sessions. Based on the data obtained, the researchers claim that they were able to monitor very precisely the evolution of their cognitive performance.
Current tests, they argue, do not offer this speed in obtaining data. Not this level of accuracy either. In addition, they have what is called a learning effect. "They can't be done very quickly because, otherwise, the subject remembers," explains Soldevila. "It is necessary to wait a minimum of six months so that the person does not remember the dynamics of the game". On the contrary, the level of these games is adjusted to the individual: if he does very well, the difficulty increases; if it gets worse, get off. "Since it is adjusted to each person's level, we can remove this learning effect from the equation," argued Soldevila.
Another advantage of this tool, according to the researchers, is its greater sensitivity compared to traditional tests. The latter are insufficient to detect changes in people who are cognitively well, "and this is a problem because these subjects, yes, are cognitively well, but they are at risk of suffering from a dementia such as Alzheimer's".
The researchers argue that the tool will allow, if implemented, to adapt the intervention in the future. "The neurologist could be monitoring these people and alert them if they see that their cognition is declining in order to assess them properly and decide on treatment." For this group, there is currently no treatment. "Research has focused on more advanced stages of the pathology", concluded Soldevila.
