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World J Clin Cases. Nov 16, 2013; 1(8): 233-241
Published online Nov 16, 2013. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v1.i8.233
Non-pharmacological cognitive intervention for aging and dementia: Current perspectives
Jorge Alves, Rosana Magalhães, Álvaro Machado, Óscar F Gonçalves, Adriana Sampaio, Agavni Petrosyan
Jorge Alves, Rosana Magalhães, Óscar F Gonçalves, Adriana Sampaio, Agavni Petrosyan, Neuropsychophysiology Lab, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Álvaro Machado, Department of Neurology, Hospital de Braga, 4710-243 Braga, Portugal
Óscar F Gonçalves, Department of Counseling and Applied Educational Psychology, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, United States
Agavni Petrosyan, Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92717, United States
Author contributions: Alves J conceptualized the present work, performed article search and collection; Alves J and Magalhães R drafted the initial version of the manuscript; Machado Á, Gonçalves ÓF, Sampaio A and Petrosyan A contributed to further revisions of the paper; all authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript before submission.
Supported by The Foundation for Science and Technology, FCT (SFRH/BD/64457/2009 and SFRH/BD/65213/2009, co-funded by FSE/POPH) and by project PIC/IC/83290/2007, which is supported by FEDER (POFC - COMPETE) and FCT
Correspondence to: Jorge Alves, MSc, Neuropsychophysiology Lab, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. jorge.alves@psi.uminho.pt
Telephone: +351-253-601398 Fax: +351-253-604224
Received: June 28, 2013
Revised: September 30, 2013
Accepted: October 17, 2013
Published online: November 16, 2013
Processing time: 139 Days and 10.1 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Cognitive intervention (CI) may provide a viable option for improving cognition in healthy aging, as well as in mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Although current evidence regarding the efficacy of CI is modest, therapeutic strategies for mitigating the effects of aging on cognitive decline and early stage dementia, should be integrated into mainstream clinical practice.