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Cognitive training interventions and depression in mild cognitive impairment and dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Chan JYC, Chan TK, Kwok TCY, Wong SYS, Lee ATC, Tsoi KKF.. Age and ageing, 2020-08-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Depression is common in people with cognitive impairment but the effect of cognitive training in the reduction of depression is still uncertain. Aims The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of cognitive training interventions in the reduction of depression rating scale score in people with cognitive impairment. Methods Literature searches were conducted via OVID databases. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluated the effect of cognitive training interventions for the reduction of depression rating scale score in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia were included. Mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to combine the results of Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to combine the results of different depression rating scales. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to the types of cognitive training and severity of cognitive impairment, i.e. MCI and dementia. Results A total of 2551 people with MCI or dementia were extracted from 36 RCTs. The baseline mean score of GDS-15 was 4.83. Participants received cognitive training interventions had a significant decrease in depression rating scale score than the control group (MD of GDS-15 = -1.30, 95% CI = -2.14--0.47; and SMD of eight depression scales was -0.54 (95% CI = -0.77--0.31). In subgroup analyses, the effect size of computerized cognitive training and cognitive stimulation therapy were medium-to-large and statistically significant in the reduction of depression rating scale score. Conclusions Cognitive training interventions show to be a potential treatment to ameliorate depression in people with cognitive impairment.
Key findings
- Mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to combine the results of Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS).
- Standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to combine the results of different depression rating scales.
- Results A total of 2551 people with MCI or dementia were extracted from 36 RCTs.
- Participants received cognitive training interventions had a significant decrease in depression rating scale score than the control group (MD of GDS-15 = -1.30, 95% CI = -2.14--0.47; and SMD of eight depression scales was -0.54 (95% CI = -0.77--0.31).
- In subgroup analyses, the effect size of computerized cognitive training and cognitive stimulation therapy were medium-to-large and statistically significant in the reduction of depression rating scale score.
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Study details
- Participants2,551
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 76/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 44 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 76 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Age and ageing) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies (from PubMed type “Meta-Analysis”) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 2,551 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32378715) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 44 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 44 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 76 out of 100. |
| Total | 76 / 100 | — |
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APA 7th
Chan, J. Y. C., Chan, T. K., Kwok, T. C. Y., Wong, S. Y. S., Lee, A. T. C., & Tsoi, K. K. F. (2020). Cognitive training interventions and depression in mild cognitive impairment and dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Age and ageing. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa063
Vancouver
Chan JYC, Chan TK, Kwok TCY, Wong SYS, Lee ATC, Tsoi KKF. Cognitive training interventions and depression in mild cognitive impairment and dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Age and ageing. 2020. doi:10.1093/ageing/afaa063. PMID: 32378715.
BibTeX
@article{chan2020-32378715,
author = {Chan, J. Y. C. and Chan, T. K. and Kwok, T. C. Y. and Wong, S. Y. S. and Lee, A. T. C. and Tsoi, K. K. F.},
title = {{Cognitive training interventions and depression in mild cognitive impairment and dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials}},
journal = {Age and ageing},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1093/ageing/afaa063},
pmid = {32378715},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa063}
}