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Gist Reasoning Training in Cognitively Normal Seniors

A smiling woman is playing chess with a smiling elderly male in a house setting. IStock# 619393614.

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry

Raksha Anand, Sandra B. Chapman, Audette Rackley, Molly Keebler, Jennifer Zientz, and John Hart Jr.

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Overview

This study explores a few of the most innovative findings on ways to slow down or prevent natural aging memory decline. One approach highlighted the potential benefits of the drug guanfacine, which has been shown to improve areas of the brain associated with logic and memory in primates. Another study discussed the positive results from a study on the exercise of the mind and body. Physical exercise was shown to improve blood flow to areas of the brain associated with memory, while cognitive training improved participants’ ability to extract broad meaning from text, pinpoint relevant details, and retrieve from their memory. Further studies would be necessary to determine the effectiveness of these interventions in non-healthy humans, such as those with cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s

Table 2 displays the cognitive strategies that were addressed in each training session for the participants.

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Sandra Bond Chapman, PhD

Chief Director Dee Wyly Distinguished Professor, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences Co-Leader, The BrainHealth Project

Audette Rackley, MS, CCC-SLP

Assistant Director, Strength-Based Programs Research Clinician

Jennifer Zientz, MS, CCC-SLP

Director of Programs and Head of Clinical Services Center for BrainHealth


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