Abstract
Background: Cognitive training may contribute to the ability to maintain
cognitive function in healthy elderly adults. Whether genotype modifies training effects
remains unknown.
Objective: Assess influence of APOE on cognitive function
over time in community-dwelling elderly adults participating in multi-domain cognitive
training.
Methods: Healthy individuals ≥70 years of age were screened from one urban
community in Shanghai. 145 healthy Chinese older adults met inclusion criteria and were
assigned to intervention (n = 88) or control (n = 57)
groups. Multi-domain cognitive training involved 24 sessions of different content taking
place over 12 weeks. Neuropsychological testing was administered at baseline, immediately
after training, six months and twelve months post-intervention; composite measures of
cognitive function were identified via factor analysis.
Results: Three factors explained the majority of variance in function
(verbal memory, processing speed, executive function). The intervention attenuated
12-month declines in processing speed, regardless of APOE genotype
(p = 0.047). Executive function declined in APOE
ɛ4 carriers over 12 months, regardless of intervention
(p = 0.056). There was a significant interaction after 12 months where
intervention ɛ4 carriers had better processing speed than
ɛ4 controls (p = 0.003). Intervention
ɛ2 carriers had better executive function immediately after training
(p = 0.02) and had better verbal memory 6-months post-intervention
(p = 0.04). These effects remained significant after false-discovery
rate correction.
Conclusion: Multi-domain cognitive training reduces declines in processing
speed over time. APOE
ɛ4 is associated with reductions in executive function over time, and
training may attenuate ɛ4-associated declines in processing speed.
APOE
ɛ2 carriers may also benefit from training, particularly on measures of
executive function and verbal memory.
