Brain-Computer Interface System for Training Memory and Attention in Elderly

The world population has reached an unprecedented seven billion, with global population ageing increasing at a greater rate than total population growth. Between 1998 and 2030, the proportion of persons aged 65 years and over in Singapore will grow by about 3% annually compared to 1.0-1.3% in some developed nations. Specific cognitive deficits like inattention, dysexecutive functioning, and processing speed decline may affect a number of quality of life domains. Concurrent with these statistics, the maintenance of the highest possible level of cognitive functioning for as long as possible has become an important goal of aging successfully.

To contribute to the realization of this goal we propose to conduct a wait-list control trial to examine the efficacy of this brain-computer interface based intervention for cognitive enhancement in elderly. This intervention uses a technology which analyzes brain waves captured through an electroencephalogram to determine the participants' state of attention. The training program developed using this patented technology may be useful for individuals who experience difficulty with memory and sustaining their attention.

This intervention may represent one alternative means to enhance cognitive abilities and to slow down cognitive decline in the normal elderly. If demonstrated to be efficacious, this therapy may even help to delay the onset of dementia.

In addition, the rate of cognitive decline during the course of AD is possibly influenced by not only environmental but also genetic factors. To date, several genes, such as apolipoprotein E (APOE) and TOMM40 (translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 40 homologue), have been identified to be probable genetic risk markers for AD. These genes have been shown to play a role in disease onset as well as rates of cognitive decline. For instance, studies have shown APOEε4 allele carriers to be associated with earlier and faster cognitive decline.

Therefore, we propose to analyse if there is any relationship between the genetic profiles of our participants and their performance in the training program.

There are no published studies that look at how cognitive training may be associated with changes in the metabolism and functional connectivity of the brain. Therefore, our study also aims to carry out functional MRI of the brain before and after training to gain a finer understanding of the changes associated with our BCI-based cognitive training.

Inclusion criteria

• Age 60-80 years old
• Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) of 0-0.5
• Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) of 24 and above
• Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) of 4 and below
• Chinese Ethnicity
• Literate in English
• Able to travel to study site independently

Exclusion criteria

• Any known neuropsychiatric disorders (such as epilepsy or mental retardation)
• Involvement in another research study (aside from the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study)
• Gross hearing, visual or speech impairment that are uncorrected
• Color Blindness
• Intake of the following medications: Rivastigmine, Donepezil, Galantamine or Memantine.