Intensive assessment of executive functions derived from performance in cognitive training games

Soldevila-Domenech, Natalia; De Toma, Ilario; Forcano, Laura; Diaz-Pellicer, Patricia; Cuenca Royo, Aida Ma, 1981-; Fagundo, Beatriz; Lorenzo, Thais; Gomis González, Maria, 1988-; Sánchez Benavides, Gonzalo; Fauria, Karine; Sastre, Carolina; Fernandez De Piérola, Íñigo; Molinuevo, José Luis; Verdejo García, Antonio; Torre Fornell, Rafael de la; PENSA Study Group

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.106886

Intensive assessment of executive functions derived from performance in cognitive training games

Citation

Soldevila-Domenech N, De Toma I, Forcano L, Diaz-Pellicer P, Cuenca-Royo A, Fagundo B, Lorenzo T, Gomis-Gonzalez M, Sánchez-Benavides G, Fauria K, Sastre C, Fernandez De Piérola I, Molinuevo JL, Verdejo-Garcia A, de la Torre R, PENSA Study Group. Intensive assessment of executive functions derived from performance in cognitive training games. iScience. 2023;26(6):106886. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106886

Abstract

Traditional neuropsychological tests accurately describe the current cognitive state but fall short to characterize cognitive change over multiple short time periods. We present an innovative approach to remote monitoring of executive functions on a monthly basis, which leverages the performance indicators from self-administered computerized cognitive training games (NUP-EXE). We evaluated the measurement properties of NUP-EXE in N = 56 individuals (59% women, 60-80 years) at increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (APOE-ϵ4 carriers with subjective cognitive decline) who completed a 12-month multimodal intervention for preventing cognitive decline. NUP-EXE presented good psychometric properties and greater sensitivity to change than traditional tests. Improvements in NUP-EXE correlated with improvements in functionality and were affected by participants' age and gender. This novel data collection methodology is expected to allow a more accurate characterization of an individual's response to a cognitive decline preventive intervention and to inform development of outcome measures for a new generation of intervention trials.