Abstract
[Autom. eng. transl.] The neuropsychological disorders resulting from neurodegeneration contribute significantly to the change in the patient's and family's daily life. In addition, they involve a specific and further decrease in the levels of autonomy and adaptability in the elderly segment of use. These consequences are commonly traced to the gradual morphostructural changes affecting the structures of the central nervous system which characterize the progress of the neurodegeneration framework. The possibility of counteracting these modifications by facilitating compensation and neuroplasticity mechanisms is currently being studied, exploring the potential of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques and, in particular, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in addition to the techniques of cognitive enhancement. With the aim of testing the effectiveness of an integrated neurocognitive empowerment pathway in increasing cognitive abilities and global functioning in aging, a group of patients with neurodegenerative clinical pictures and a comparable group of healthy volunteers took part in a experimental protocol. The protocol included participation in: a computerized cognitive enhancement program; a non-invasive bilateral stimulation program for prefrontal regions (assembly with double anode in F3-F4). The participants were subjected to an incoming neuropsychological assessment and to the conclusion of the pathways to assess their short-term effects. The analysis of the data showed, for the clinical group, a more evident improvement in frontal executive functions, especially verbal ones, although both groups benefited from the computerized cognitive enhancement pathway. Moreover, these evidences seem to be further supported by the integration with tDCS, especially in the clinical group.
Translated title of the contribution | [Autom. eng. transl.] Cognitive and neurocognitive empowerment in healthy and pathological aging |
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Original language | Italian |
Title of host publication | Libro degli Atti "XI Convegno Nazionale di Psicologia dell'Invecchiamento" |
Pages | 41 |
Number of pages | 1 |
Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Event | XI Convegno Nazionale di Psicologia dell'invecchiamento - Milano Duration: 25 May 2018 → 26 May 2018 |
Conference
Conference | XI Convegno Nazionale di Psicologia dell'invecchiamento |
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City | Milano |
Period | 25/5/18 → 26/5/18 |
Keywords
- Invecchiamento
- modificazioni morfostrutturali
- potenziamento cognitivo
- tDCS