Affiliations: [a] Department of Psychology and the Center for Psychobiological Research, Max Stern Academic College of Emek Yezreel, and CogniFit Ltd, Yoqneam Ilit, Israel | [b] Neuroimmunology Unit, Multiple Sclerosis & Brain Research Center, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel | [c] Brain and Behaviour Research Center, Institute for the Study of Affective Neuroscience (ISAN), Department of Psychology, The University of Haifa, Israel
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: Evelyn Shatil PhD, Max Stern Academic College of Emek Yezreel, Center for Psychobiological Research, Yezreel Valley College, Emek Yezreel 19300, Israel. Tel.: +972 4 993 7312; Fax: +972 4 993 7313; E-mail: evelyns@yvc.ac.il
Abstract: Objectives:To explore unprompted adherence to a personalized, home-based, computerized cognitive training program in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and to examine the impact of training on cognitive performance. Methods:Participants were assigned to a training (n = 59) or a control group (n = 48). Those in the training group were instructed to train three times a week for 12 weeks. The control group received no training. All participants were evaluated with a Neuropsychological Examination (N-CPC) at baseline and at the end of the study. Results:In the training group, 42 (71.2%) participants adhered to the training schedule and 22 (37.3%) completed the entire training regimen. In the control group, 24 (50.0%) participants agreed to be retested on the N-CPC. The training group showed a significant improvement over that shown by the control group in three memory-based cognitive abilities (general memory, visual working memory and verbal working memory). Post-hoc exploration of data from the N-CPC showed that cognitive training was also associated with increased naming speed, speed of information recall, focused attention and visuo-motor vigilance. Conclusions:The appreciable rates of adherence and cognitive improvements observed indicate that personalized cognitive training is a practical and valuable tool to improve cognitive skills and encourage neuronal plasticity in patients with MS.
