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Tailored computer exercises may improve older adults’ thinking

Participants offered the program improved 1.8 points more on a test of overall thinking skills than controls given health education.

Paper by Estela Calatayud, Bárbara Oliván-Blázquez, Alejandra Aguilar-Latorre, +2 more authorsIsabel Gómez-Soria · Universidad de Zaragoza

Our read

Interventions
Studied:
Randomized trial in 100 older adults with normal cognitive performance, 8 weeks (Registered NCT06279325)
What changed:
Overall thinking scores improved 1.8 points more in the program group than with health education
The catch:
The analysis excluded participants who did not complete the final assessment

Editor of record: Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News

Paper
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In Zaragoza, Spain, 102 community-dwelling adults aged 65 or older with normal cognitive performance entered a randomized clinical trial at three primary care centers. Participants were grouped by cognitive reserve—the ability to maintain thinking skills despite brain changes—before random assignment.

The program combined digital literacy sessions with eight weeks of home computer exercises tailored to cognitive reserve and life history. Controls received one group health education session about maintaining everyday mental activity. The analysis included the 100 participants who completed the final assessment. The program group had a 1.8-point greater adjusted improvement on a test of overall thinking skills than controls. Several specific thinking skills, ability to use digital devices and scores on a cognitive reserve questionnaire also improved more in the program group.

Why it matters

For older adults without cognitive impairment, the findings suggest primary care may be a practical setting for personalized programs aimed at supporting thinking skills and digital competence.

Caveats

The analysis included only the 100 participants who completed the final assessment. These post-intervention results do not show whether gains persisted, and the trial enrolled no people with cognitive impairment.

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