Academic Editor: Robert Friedman
Background: Cognitive interventions (CIs) in the elderly are activities
that seek to improve cognitive performance and delay its deterioration. Our
objectives were to study potential genetic predictors of how a CI program may
influence immediate and delayed episodic verbal memory (EVM). Methods:
162 participants were elderly individuals without dementia who were randomized
into parallel control and experimental groups. Participants underwent genetic
testing to analyze the PICALM, ACT, NRG1, BDNF and APOE genes. We performed a broad
neuropsychological assessment before and 6 months after the CI. The CI involved
multifactorial training (30 sessions). The control group undertook the centre’s
standard activities. The main outcome measures were the genotype studied as a
predictor of post-intervention changes in EVM. Results: We found the CI
was associated with improvements in several cognitive functions, including
immediate and delayed EVM. While no individual gene was associated with any such
change, the interaction between PICALM/ACT (p = 0.008;
Eta