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Table 3 Computerised cognitive exercises

From: Individualised computerised cognitive training for community-dwelling people with mild cognitive impairment: study protocol of a completely virtual, randomised, controlled trial

CCT application

Group of tasks

Explanation

Key function

Cognitive domain (DSM-5)

individualised CCT

Finding targets

(‘Punkte sammeln’)

For a set of pop-up pictures, participants must click on target pictures before they disappear

Sustained attention

Complex attention

Applying rules

(‘Regel anwenden’)

Select the winner or loser of a rock-paper-scissors game (either hand signs or in written form); if the game is presented as hand signs, the participant has to pick the winner; if presented with words, the loser has to be picked; this exercise has a time limit, depending on the difficulty

Mental/cognitive flexibility

Executive function

Layer sorting

(‘Ebenen sortieren’)

A target picture of a vase with flowers is presented; the participant has to reproduce the picture out of layers; easiest: background–foreground, up to 5 layers with distractors

Visuoconstructional reasoning

Perceptual-motor

Jigsaw puzzle

(‘Bild zusammensetzen’)

Sorting of image sections

Visuoconstructional reasoning

Perceptual-motor

Fill in the gaps

(‘Felder füllen’)

A grid has to be filled in according to rules; each symbol is used only once in every row, column, and block; layout 4×4 to 9×9 fields

Working memory

Executive functions

Remember cards

(‘Karten merken’)

Remember a row of (up to 5) cards; compare new card to 5th to last card

Working memory

Executive functions

Find pairs

(‘Paare finden’)

Finding pairs of images in a pool; images covered; each turn two cards can be turned

Visuo-spatial memory

Perceptual-motor

Spot the difference

(‘Unterschied erkennen’)

A set of x identical pictures is presented, after a blank, the set and 1 extra pictures are presented; the extra picture has to be selected

Visual perception

Perceptual-motor

Pattern recognition

(‘Schema erkennen’)

A matrix of elements (combination of concentric geometrical figures) is presented; in one row or column, a figure is presented in the same position in all elements; the row/column has to be found; for small difficulties, hints are given

Decision-making

Executive functions

Word conversion

(‘Wörter umwandeln’)

Convert a source word to a target word in x steps; in each step, only 1 letter can be exchanged, and each line must contain a word

Word finding

Language

basic CCT

Rotating picture puzzle

(‘Drehpuzzle’)

Picture is sectioned; sections are rotated; sections have to be turned in the right direction

Visuoconstructional reasoning

Perceptual-motor

Picture quiz

(‘Bilder quiz’)

Multiple-choice questions about images

Semantic and autobiographical long-term memory

Learning and memory

Geography quiz

(‘Länderspiel’)

Knowledge quiz based on German federal states

Semantic and autobiographical long-term memory

Learning and memory

Dice game

(‘Würfelpoker’)

Scoring points in a dice game by rolling five dice to make certain combinations (similar to Yahtzee), playing against a computer

Planning

Executive functions

Shut the box

(‘Klappbox’)

Roll two dice and count the number of dots on each die, sums or differences can be used; the aim is to get all numbers from 1 to 9 once; a player loses when a throw does not derive a new number

Planning

Executive functions

  1. Abbreviation: CCT computerised cognitive training