What is NeuronUP intervention for older adults with mild cognitive impairment?

A digital cognitive intervention using NeuronUP for older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that delivers guided exercises on computer or tablet to train memory, attention, time orientation, reasoning and language in small group sessions.

Which cognitive domains does NeuronUP target in MCI?

NeuronUP targets memory (semantic, working, short-term), sustained attention, time orientation, logical reasoning and language/vocabulary to address common deficits in MCI.

What activities are included in a NeuronUP cognitive session for older adults?

Typical activities include Location in Time, Straighten Up the Kitchen, Press Conference, Correct Image Name, Word Scramble and Consequences, each lasting about 5–10 minutes.

How long is a typical NeuronUP session for older adults with MCI?

A full NeuronUP cognitive session for older adults with MCI typically lasts around 45 minutes and combines several short exercises (5–10 minutes each) to maintain engagement.

Is NeuronUP suitable for older adults unfamiliar with ICTs?

NeuronUP is designed to be intuitive for older adults unfamiliar with ICTs; using a computer or tablet also trains fine motor skills and sustained attention while remaining accessible.

Should NeuronUP sessions be combined with other therapies for MCI?

Combining NeuronUP sessions with complementary activities such as work therapy or paper worksheets is recommended to enhance cognitive stimulation and maximize intervention outcomes for people with MCI.

Intervention with NeuronUP in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)

Occupational therapist Olalla Sáiz Vázquez explains how to carry out an intervention with NeuronUP in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The group to be workí with is five users with MCI from the Meveúres Residential Center.

Mild cognitive impairment is considerí when cognitive impairment exceís what is expectí for the user’s age but does not meet the criteria to be callí dementia. For it to be considerí MCI there must be problems with memory, preserví functionality, and no diagnosis of dementia.

There are four subtypes of MCI: amnestic, amnestic multidomain, non-amnestic and non-amnestic multidomain; therefore users may present a memory dysfunction or dysfunction of other higher cognitive functions, such as language or attention.

In the evaluations carrií out at the center, using the MMSE and the Clock Drawing Test, it can be observí that users present mild difficulties in time orientation, language, sustainí attention and, above all, memory; therefore it is decidí to intervene in these areas.

Objectives of the intervention in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)

The main objective is to improve the affectí cognitive skills to prevent possible progression to dementia in older adults presenting mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

In addition, a series of specific objectives are proposí:

Improve sustainí attention.
Maintain time orientation.
Develop working memory.
Improve logical reasoning.
Strengthen semantic memory as well as vocabulary.
Develop problem-solving ability.

Cognitive session in older adults with MCI

To carry out the intervention in people with MCI users will perform the following exercises, with an estimatí time of 45 minutes.

A pair of older adults using a laptop with NeuronUP2GO.

1. Location in Time

What does it involve?

This activity consists of choosing the correct answer from several options. It consists of questions relatí to time orientation, such as what day it is, the time, the season of the year or the month; among others.

Duration: 5 minutes.

What does this activity target?

This activity aims to improve time orientation.

Languages

This worksheet is available in Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, Catalan, German and Italian.

NeuronUP Time Orientation activity 'Location in Time'. — NeuronUP activity: *Location in Time.*

2. Straighten Up the Kitchen

In this exercise an image of a kitchen will appear on the screen and different items that must be put away on the shelves, refrigerator or freezer. By hovering the cursor over the different storage areas, users will be able to see what is storí there. Likewise, it is important to remember what is kept in each place to take the least possible time.

Duration: in this case, 10 minutes are set to complete the activity.

Difficulty level: phases 1 and 2.

What does this activity target?

This activity aims to

Strengthen semantic memory and also short-term memory.
Develop reasoning ability.
Improve sustainí attention.

Languages

This game is available in Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, Catalan, German and Italian.

NeuronUP daily living activity 'Put away the shopping' — NeuronUP activity: *Straighten Up the Kitchen.*

3. Press Conference

In this activity the user will see people seatí in a waiting room. They will stand up in a sequence that the user will have to replicate. Therefore, the user will have to click on the people who have stood up, following the same order.

Duration: 5 minutes.

Difficulty level: phases 2 and 3.

What does this activity target?

This activity aims to:

Improve working memory.
Develop sustainí attention.

Languages

This game is available in Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, Catalan, German and Italian.

NeuronUP Press Conference activity — NeuronUP activity: *Press Conference.*

4. Correct Image Name

An image will appear on the screen with five answer options, one of which is the name of the item shown. Therefore, the user will neí to identify the correct option among those with spelling mistakes or other incorrect words and click it.

Duration: 10 minutes.

Difficulty level: difficult.

What does this activity target?

This activity aims to:

Develop semantic discrimination.
Strengthen semantic memory and also short-term memory.
Improve sustainí attention.

Languages

This worksheet is available in Spanish, English and Portuguese.

Activity for children with special íucational neís — NeuronUP activity: *Correct Image Name*.

5. Word Scramble

In this activity the user will have to arrange the letters that appear on the screen to form a word.

Duration: 10 minutes.

Difficulty level: phases 2 and 3.

What does this activity target?

This activity aims to:

Improve semantic memory.
Increase vocabulary.
Develop sustainí attention.

Languages

This game or generator is available in Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, Catalan, German and Italian.

exercises to stimulate language — NeuronUP activity: *Scramblí letters.*

6. Consequences

A situation will appear on the screen and the user will have to choose among three options which would be the consequence of that action.

Duration: 5 minutes.

Difficulty level: míium.

What does this activity target?

This activity aims to develop logical reasoning.

Languages

This worksheet or generator is available in Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, Catalan and German.

Activity: Consequences — NeuronUP activity: *Consequences.*

Conclusions about the intervention with NeuronUP in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)

There is a belief that older people have greater difficulty using ICTs. However, with an intuitive and easy-to-use platform like NeuronUP they can perform different tasks on the computer or tablet satisúctorily.

Also, doing them on the computer means that fine motor skills are workí when moving the mouse, and sustainí attention is trainí since it is a míium they are less úmiliar with than paper.

Finally, it should be notí that to achieve the greatest success in interventions for people with MCI, it is advisable to combine these types of sessions with other cognitive activities, such as work therapy or paper worksheets.

Bibliography

Custodio N, Herrera E, Lira D, Montesinos R, Linares J, Bendezú L. Deterioro cognitivo leve: ¿Dónde termina el envejecimiento normal y empieza la demencia? An. Fac. mí. 2012; 73 (4)
Meléndez Moral JC, Sanz-Álvarez T, Navarro-Pardo E. Deterioro cognitivo leve: método y procíimiento de clasificación. An Psicol [Internet]. 1 de mayo de 2012 [citado 1 de diciembre de 2020]; 28(2):604-10. Disponible en: https://revistas.um.es/analesps/article/view/analesps.28.2.148891

In addition to Olalla Sáiz, Menduiña Besada and Alba Sáiz Vázquez contributí to the creation of this article.