• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
• /
• v.12 no.11
• /
• pp.457-466
• /
• 2021

This study sought to identify the effectiveness of training programs by developing mobile app-based training programs to enhance memory, attention, and language function, which is known to be vulnerable to menopause women. It was conducted on 40 Climacteric woman between 40 to 60 years complaining about cognitive function decline. The mobile app-based cognitive training was an 8 week program. There were a total of 24 sessions and each session took 20-30 minutes, three times per week. The survey was carried out including a baseline study pre and post intervention study. The research variables were objective cognitive function (overall cognitive function, memory, attention, and language function), subjective cognitive function and quality of life. The cognitive training program showed a significant increase in overall cognitive function(t=-8.688, p<.001), memory(t=-4.765, p<.001), attention : number of correct answers(t=-7.293, p<.001), language high frequency response speed(Z=-2.179, p=.036), language low frequency response speed(Z=-2.737, p=.009) and quality of life (t=-3.358, p=.002). However, there was no significant difference in the scores for subjective cognitive function. The cognitive training program was found to be an effective intervention for improving the cognitive function of Climacteric women. It could be used as a cognitive intervention tool that is accessible at home without expert help.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.402-411
• /
• 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a cognitive enhancement program combined Silbot on cognitive function, depression, and dementia prevention behavior in the elderly complaining of subjective memory decline. The subjects were 170 elderly people living in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, and the study was performed at a welfare center. A total of 20 sessions program using Silbot and physical activity was developed and applied, and were evaluated using the Korean version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (K-MoCA), Geriatric depression Scale(GDS) , and Dementia Prevention Behavior before and after intervention. As a result of the study, the cognitive enhancement program combined Silbot showed statistically significant changes in cognitive function (t=-4.49, p<.001) and depression (t=2.58, p=.023) in the elderly. Therefore, it is expected that the cognitive enhancement program using Silbot will be a useful program that can enhance the cognitive function of the elderly and reduce depression.

• Dementia and Neurocognitive Disorders
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.44-53
• /
• 2024

Background and purpose: The anti-aging standard forest healing program (ASFHP), which uses forest therapy, was reported to be effective in improving psychological, physical, and cognitive functions. However, there are several challenges to directly visiting the forest. This study aimed to investigate the impact of multi-session ASFHP with forest visit on the mental and physical health of the older people with visits to forest facilities and compared them with those of the same program conducted indoors. Methods: Individuals aged over 70 years with concerns about cognitive decline were recruited at dementia relief centers and divided into control and experimental groups. A total of 33 people were administered ASFHP under the supervision of a forest therapy instructor. The control group stayed indoors, while the experimental group visited a forest healing center and repeated the program 20 weeks. Results: The multiple-session ASFHP positively affected cognitive impairment screening test (CIST) total scores (p=0.002), memory (p=0.014), Korean version of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status total scores (p<0.001), immediate recall (p=0.001), visuospatial/construction (p<0.001), language (p<0.001), forest healing standard questionnaire total scores (p=0.002), and cognitive function (p=0.019), regardless of location. The forest visits during the ASFHP showed positive effects on orientation (p=0.035), delayed recall (p=0.042), emotional stability (p=0.032), physical activity (p=0.005), and health (p=0.022). The CIST scores of the memory domain were the strongest indicator of the multiple-session ASFHP effects. Conclusions: The 20-week multi-session ASFHP with forest visit showed effects on cognitive improvement and physical and emotional stability compared to indoor education.

• Stress
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.259-267
• /
• 2018

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors influencing cognitive function and life satisfaction in elderly living alone. Methods: It was cross-sectional descriptive study by using secondary data from the 2014 national survey of Korean elderly. The study sample consisted of 2,249 subjects who live alone, aged 65 years old and over. Data were analyzed frequency analysis, ${\chi}^2$-test, t-test, ANOVA and Logistic regression analysis. Results: The risk factors that significantly influenced cognitive function were old age, bereavement, lack of education, no regular exercise and low socio-cultural activity satisfaction. The risk factors that significantly influenced life satisfaction were no bereavement, lack of education, no work, negative evaluation of health status, diagnosis of depression and no regular exercise. Also experience of emotional and economical abuse, neglect of financial support and low cognitive function were identified risk factors of life satisfaction. Conclusions: The elderly living alone with risk factors of cognitive decline should be interested. To prevent or delay cognitive impairment, regular exercise and socio-cultural activities were recommended. It was suggested that the promotion of cognitive function, appropriate work and exercise, and social efforts to prevent abuse and neglect can contribute to improving life satisfaction of elderly living alone.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.41-48
• /
• 2023

PURPOSE: Falls are caused by a decline in physical and cognitive function. A quantitative evaluation tool that can comprehensively evaluate motor and cognitive functions for elderly people with an impaired physical function. This study assessed the clinical application potential by confirming the correlation between the physical function tests, cognitive and the stepping trail-making test (S-TMT). METHODS: Fourteen community-dwelling older patients (65-75 years) were recruited. The study conducted cognitive function tests with the trail-making test (TMT-A, B), and physical function tests (6-minute walking test (6MWT), short physical performance battery (SPPB), and timed up and go (TUG)). The results of were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Descriptive statistics were used for the general characteristics of the study subjects, and the correlations between S-TMT, other functional tests were examined through Pearson's correlation analysis. The statistical significance was set to .05. RESULTS: S-TMT had a significant positive correlation with the TUG (r = .588^*) and trail-making test-B (TMT-B) (r = .689^*, p < .05). Furthermore, S-TMT showed a negative correlation between SPPB (r = -.397) and 6MWT (r = -.422), but it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: S-TMT is a cognitive-gait dual-task performance evaluation tool that can be performed safely. A significant correlation was confirmed between the TUG test and the TMT-B. S-TMT is a dual-task screening tool that can evaluate both physical and cognitive functions simultaneously.

• 한국노년학
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.751-763
• /
• 2016

In this article, we conducted a literature review about cognitive aging and social-psychological factors that influence cognitive function in old age. As getting older, cognitive function was mostly seen as declining, even though the effect of aging is differential across domains of cognitive ability. The negative view about cognitive aging might be reflecting social-psychological factors such as age stereotypes. Age stereotypes vary among different cultures, but appear to be negative in general. Negative age stereotypes are related to lower level of memory performances. Older adults who were experimentally presented with positive age stereotypes exhibited better memory performances than those with negative age stereotypes. Self-referent belief, appraisals of one's own cognitive abilities, could also affect actual performance in cognitive tasks. Older adults showed lower self-referent belief than younger adults, and it might explain memory decline in old age. Theoretical explanation and implication about the relationship between social-psychological factors and cognitive abilities were discussed.

• 한국노년학
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.909-924
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of chewing ability on cognitive function of older people in Korea and the mediation effect of physical function and depression using the nationwide data from "Survey of the Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons in 2014", in Korea. This study was conducted on a total of 10,451 respondents in the "Survey of the Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons in 2014" and the data collection period was from June 11, to September 4, 2014. Chewing ability was used in the scale on level of daily life inconvenience in chewing ability (meat or hardness). Cognitive function was measured using MMSE-DS, physical function using K-IADL, and depression using SGDS-K. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 24.0 program and Process Macro. Total effects of chewing ability on cognitive function were not significant(p>.05). Direct effects of chewing ability on cognitive function were not significant(p>.05). There were the dual mediation effect(p<.05) of physical function and depression, a complete mediating effect by physical function(p<.05) or depression(p<.05) in the impact of chewing ability on cognitive function of older people in Korea. These results indicate that physical function and depression effect directly and indirectly in the impact of chewing ability on cognitive function of older people. In conclusion, it is suggested that to prevent the decline of cognitive function in older people, it is necessary to consider not only nursing strategies for strengthening chewing ability and physical function, but also nursing interventions for relieving or preventing depression in older people.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.109-120
• /
• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate risk factors for chronic ADL, IADL disability. The study explored clinical and socio-demographic risk factors of functional status decline. Methods: Data from the Survey of Living Condition of Elderly 3-year panel study were analyzed. The study subjects were 5,928 community-dwelling people aged 65 years or older who were no disability in ADL and IADL at baseline. Predisposing factors, pathology, impairment, and functional limitations were regarded as risk factors. Logistic regression analysis was used. Results: During the 3-year study period, 3.9% participants developed chronic ADL disability, 9.4% participants were IADL disabled. After controlling for predisposing factor, the best predictors for ADL disability at 36 months were fall as a pathology factor, cognitive decline, disability judgement, lower limb functional limitation. Comorbidity, fall, cognitive decline, disability judgement, lower limb and upper limb functional limitation were risk factors for IADL disability. Conclusions: Health promotion program focusing elderly is essential to prevent ADL and IADL disability. Mobilizing physical activity should be included in health promotion program for elderly.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.48 no.6
• /
• pp.306-314
• /
• 2022

Background: Due to the rapid aging of the South Korean population, neurological diseases such as dementia are increasing. Many studies have reported that the incidence of dementia is associated with environmental factors along with age. Objectives: This study analyzed the association between cognitive function and ten heavy metals in the body: arsenic, aluminum, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, iron, copper, zinc, and lead. Methods: From 2018 to 2019, a total of 120 participants who suffered from cognitive impairment were recruited for this study. Blood and urine samples were collected and analyzed for heavy metal concentrations using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Demographic information was obtained through face-to-face questionnaires completed by a trained investigator. Cognitive function was evaluated with the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Korean version of the Boston Name Waiting Test. The associations between cognitive function scores and heavy metal concentrations were analyzed using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: The average age of the 120 participants was 72.7 years, and 69.2% were female. The mean of the MMSE-K and K-BNT scores were 22.9 and 37.9, respectively. The geometric mean of aluminum (Al) was 8.42 ㎍/L. MMSE-K was associated with iron (Fe), but the significance was removed in the logistic regression based on 24 points. K-BNT was significantly associated with aluminum and the odds ratio for K-BNT above 38 decreased by 45% as the aluminum concentration increased. Conclusions: The association between aluminum and the K-BNT score indicated that aluminum is associated with language-related cognitive decline. Based on this result, further study will be conducted by considering co-exposure effects of heavy metals including aluminum.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.179-187
• /
• 2004

Purpose: This study was performed to assess the degree of cognitive function of elderly by MMSE-K performances and of that effect. Method: The subjects were 185 aged over 65 in Daejeon Metropolitan city. Data were collected through personal interview using the questionnaire from 10 to 31, Jan. 2003. The measures were Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE-K). Results: The mean score of MMSE-K was $22.60{\pm}5.39$. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was estimated as 48.6% by MMSE-K ${\leq}23$ and significantly age, gender, and education effect. The subtype score of MMSE-K were significantly lower in female group in each items : orientation in time and place, attention/calculation, language except registration and recall. And the scores were significantly lower in the older group and non-educated group in the all items of MMSE-K. Conclusion: Gender, age, and education showed significant effects on total and subtype MMSE-K score. Cognitive function decline were higher in female, older age group, and non-educated group. Therefore, those three factors are thought to be one of important risk factors for development of dementia, also it is assumed to be affected by other variables than age, gender, education effect.