Affiliation:
1. Nesplora Technology & Behavior, Spain
Abstract
In recent years, it has been assumed that brain may be trained as a muscle (use-it-or-lose-it hypothesis) so the higher amount of cognitively stimulating activities we are involved at, the better the cognitive status will be when we reach the old age. Though this assumption needs to be properly verified with additional scientific evidence, there has been an increasing number of studies on cognitive intervention (training, stimulation, rehabilitation) that have obtained diverse results with regards to their efficacy in maintaining cognitive function over time and transfer their gains to older people's daily life activities and challenges. The current chapter revises latest years of research on cognitive tests and interventions, and incorporates the added value of the latest developments in computerized and virtual-reality based assessment and training tools, to respectively measure and improve cognitive status in older populations. Moreover, key recommendations on how existing tools could be improved will be provided.
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