Effectiveness of structured cognitive intervention among patients diagnosed with late-onset Alzheimer's disease: Report from a pilot study.

BackgroundThe type and effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions varies, and there is a great need to develop structured interventions that can be replicated.ObjectiveThis pilot study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured cognitive intervention.MethodsSix participants with a diagnosis of late-onset Alzheimer's disease were recruited, cognitively screened and underwent twelve weeks of paper-pencil based cognitive or computer-based training.ResultsParticipant's cognitive functioning improved immediately after the intervention and remained better even after another three months without targeted intervention.ConclusionsPreliminary observations indicating a positive effect are encouraging, but require confirmation on a larger number of subjects.