IntelligenceGym — is an effective tool to improve cognitive functions in the elderly

Aim. The aim of our study was to verify the effectiveness of the innovative IntelligenceGym training in improving cognitive abilities in the elderly. Material and methods. We developed an original training method that requires interaction between motor and cognitive functions. In our study 123 women and 89 men, aged 68–76 were examined. The inclusion criteria were Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores of 23 to 25 at inclusion, autonomy in walking, medical certification to participate in light physical activity. We have proposed to the participants to attend IntelligenceGym training one hour twice a week for 24 weeks. Cognitive performance was assessed before and after intervention included MMSE, Forward and Backward Digit Span Test, Rey’s Auditory Verbal Learning test (RAVLT), TMT-A, TMT-B. Moreover, motor performance was tested by using the Time Up and Go (TUG) test. Results. The cognitive assessment after IntelligenceGym training showed statistically significant improvement in all the scores tested (t-test performed). The results showed that participants of the IntelligenceGym training had particularly improved performance in Digit Span, MMSE and TMT-B tests and also improvements in motor TUG test. Conclusions. These findings indicate that the IntelligenceGym training is an efficient tool to improve cognitive performance in older adults with borderline or mild cognitive deficiency.