For people with MCI, some of the strongest evidence is for structured cognitive training or rehabilitation programs, especially those that teach memory strategies you can use in daily life.
“A review of randomized controlled trials found that cognitive rehabilitation is associated with improvements in cognitive performance,” says Wint. “At least one five-year study also found that the benefits can be long-lasting.”
In that study, 145 older adults with MCI were assigned to either cognitive training, a psychosocial program, or no intervention. The cognitive training program taught memory strategies such as visual imagery, face-name association, and attention control over eight weekly sessions.
Five years later, the cognitive training group had less decline in delayed memory (the ability to recall information after several minutes of distraction) and maintained scores on a cognitive screening test.
This type of structured exercise is usually led by an occupational therapist (OT), neuropsychologist, or cognitive rehabilitation specialist.
For example, OTs can create a cognitive fitness routine for a person based on several factors, including cognitive strengths and weaknesses, personal preferences, skill level, and time availability, says Lindsay Miller, an occupational therapist at Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas.
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