Neuroplasticity-based computerized cognitive remediation for treatment-resistant geriatric depression

Sarah Shizuko Morimoto (), Bruce E. Wexler, Jiacheng Liu, Willie Hu, Joanna Seirup and George S. Alexopoulos
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Sarah Shizuko Morimoto: Weill Cornell Medical College, Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry
Bruce E. Wexler: Yale Medical School
Jiacheng Liu: Yale Medical School
Willie Hu: Weill Cornell Medical College, Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry
Joanna Seirup: Weill Cornell Medical College, Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry
George S. Alexopoulos: Weill Cornell Medical College, Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Executive dysfunction (ED) in geriatric depression (GD) is common, predicts poor clinical outcomes and often persists despite remission of symptoms. Here we develop a neuroplasticity-based computerized cognitive remediation-geriatric depression treatment (nCCR-GD) to target ED in GD. Our assumption is that remediation of these deficits may modulate the underlying brain network abnormalities shared by ED and depression. We compare nCCR-GD to a gold-standard treatment (escitalopram: 20 mg per 12 weeks) in 11 treatment-resistant older adults with major depression; and 33 matched historical controls. We find that 91% of participants complete nCCR-GD. nCCR-GD is equally as effective at reducing depressive symptoms as escitalopram but does so in 4 weeks instead of 12. In addition, nCCR-GD improves measures of executive function more than the escitalopram. We conclude that nCCR-GD may be equally effective as escitalopram in treating GD. In addition, nCCR-GD participants showed greater improvement in executive functions than historical controls treated with escitalopram.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5579

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