Preclinical Research Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) now termed Mild Neurocognitive Disorder (MCD) in DSM-5, is widely used to define the disorder in individuals who have subjective cognitive deficits, objective memory impairments, or other cognitive deficits, without impairments in daily activities. Cognitive enhancers such as the acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, commonly used with some benefit in overt dementia, have recently started to be used in MCI/MCD. Treatment of disorders associated with cognitive dysfunction represents an expanding area of neurological rehabilitation and continues to be of paramount importance from political, social and ethical perspectives. In the present overview we briefly review recent studies regarding the efficacy of cognitive treatment in MCI/MCD and its potential benefits for MCI/MCD patients. A literature search was performed using studies published in English over the 5-year period 2012-2016, designed as Randomized Controlled Trials and/or methodologically sound and robust studies that were searchable via MedLine. While findings from the studies reviewed indicate that cognitive intervention has potential in the treatment of MCI/MCD there are significant methodological limitations in current studies that need to be overcome. Drug Dev Res 77 : 444-452, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Keywords: cognitive treatment; memory; mild cognitive impairment; neuropsychology; rehabilitation.
© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.