Cognitive parameters Sample Clauses

Cognitive parameters. Broadly, a person’s cognition refers to the underlying brain processes that make it possible for them to think, remember and learn. Cognition can be divided in to sub divisions which fall in to the categories below:  Perception  Attention  Language  Memory  Problem solving  Reasoning  Executive functioning The DOREMI intervention aims to target individuals with mild impairments in these cognitive processes. Mild cognitive impairment is characterised by impairments in any cognitive domain which are greater than expected for the individual’s age and education level, but that are not severe enough to warrant a diagnosis of a dementia [12] (see section 6.1.3 for further discussion of cognitive decline). Although cognition declines with age, the brain retains the ability to learn and can restore depleted cognitive functions (this is known as brain plasticity [13-15]. The fact that the brain retains this plasticity and flexibility in later life provides support for cognitive training interventions as proposed in DOREMI in order to delay or reverse cognitive impairments. In order to evaluate the success of a cognitive intervention, it is necessary to take a number of cognitive assessments or parameters before and after the intervention. In their report of a computerised brain plasticity training program, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ et al. [13] suggest that in addition to evaluating general cognitive functioning (with the MMSE for example), it is important to evaluate directly trained functions targeted by the intervention. DOREMI participants will be subjected to a cognitive test battery at baseline, during the pre-intervention screening phase, and again at post intervention follow-up. Selected cognitive tests cover a range of cognitive domains which will be trained during the intervention. In order to give a further insight of some specific cognitive functions, the following set of tools (shown in Table 2) has been suggested and adopted in the DOREMI protocol: