2023-04-18 カリフォルニア大学リバーサイド校(UCR)
年齢が55歳以上で、英語が流暢で、認知障害の診断がない参加者がUCリバーサイド校の教室で3か月間、スペイン語、iPadの使用、写真、絵画、音楽作曲など、少なくとも3つの新しいスキルを学び、学習の前、途中、終了後の3か月、6か月、1年後に認知テストを行い、1年後にもフォローアップテストを行いました。その結果、学習から1年後も認知能力が向上し、年齢に関わらず学び続けることが重要であることが示されました。
<関連情報>
- https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2023/04/18/older-adults-may-achieve-same-cognition-undergrads
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13607863.2023.2197847
高齢者を対象とした複数実世界スキル学習介入による1年間の認知アウトカム One-year cognitive outcomes from a multiple real-world skill learning intervention with older adults
Leah Ferguson,Debaleena Sain,Esra Kürüm,Carla M. Strickland-Hughes,George W. Rebok & Rachel Wu
Aging and Mental Health Published:14 Apr 2023
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2023.2197847
Abstract
Objectives
Novel skill learning has been shown to have cognitive benefits in the short-term (up to a few months). Two studies expanded on prior research by investigating whether learning multiple novel real-world skills simultaneously (e.g. Spanish, drawing, music composition), for a minimum of six hours a week, would yield 1-year cognitive gains.
Method
Following a 3-month multi-skill learning intervention, Study 1 (N = 6, Mage = 66 years, SDage = 6.41) and Study 2 (N = 27, Mage = 69 years, SDage = 7.12) participants completed follow-up cognitive assessments 3 months, 6 months, and one year after the intervention period. Cognitive assessments tested executive function (working memory and cognitive control) and verbal episodic memory.
Results
Linear mixed-effects models revealed improvements in multiple cognitive outcomes from before the intervention to the follow-up timepoints. Specifically, executive function increased from pre-test to the 1-year follow-up for both studies (an effect driven mostly by cognitive control scores).
Discussion
Our findings provide evidence that simultaneously learning real-world skills can lead to long-term improvements in cognition during older adulthood. Future work with diverse samples could investigate individual differences in gains. Overall, our findings promote the benefits of lifelong learning, namely, to improve cognitive abilities in older adulthood.
