Are there any other treatments for mild cognitive impairment?

    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    While all types of exercise improve cognitive function in people with mild cognitive impairment[1][2], resistance exercise appears most likely to prevent further cognitive decline.[3] However, the efficacy of exercise in reducing the risk of dementia is currently unclear.[4][5]

    Transcranial direct current stimulation (electrically stimulating specific brain regions) can improve memory and cognitive skills in people with mild cognitive impairment.[6][7][8] However, larger and higher-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether it can prevent or delay cognitive decline.

    Computer or app-based cognitive training may also improve cognitive function in people with mild cognitive impairment. But, the current evidence is equivocal and higher-quality studies are needed.[9][10]

    Recently, drugs that reduce brain beta-amyloid accumulation (lecanemab, aducanumab, etc) have improved some aspects of cognitive function in people with early-stage Alzheimer's disease.[11][12][13] Other drugs (memantine, donepezil, etc) are also sometimes used to treat symptoms in people with dementia.[14][15] However, the safety and efficacy of these drugs have yet to be tested in people with mild cognitive impairment.

    References

    1. ^Xiang-Lian Zhou, Li-Na Wang, Jie Wang, Ling Zhou, Xin-Hua ShenEffects of exercise interventions for specific cognitive domains in old adults with mild cognitive impairment: A meta-analysis and subgroup analysis of randomized controlled trialsMedicine (Baltimore).(2020 Jul 31)
    2. ^Zhou Y, Li LDExercise training for cognitive and physical function in patients with mild cognitive impairment: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis.Medicine (Baltimore).(2022-Aug-26)
    3. ^Xiuxiu Huang, Xiaoyan Zhao, Bei Li, Ying Cai, Shifang Zhang, Qiaoqin Wan, Fang YuComparative efficacy of various exercise interventions on cognitive function in patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia: A systematic review and network meta-analysisJ Sport Health Sci.(2021 May 16)
    4. ^de Souto Barreto P, Demougeot L, Vellas B, Rolland YExercise Training for Preventing Dementia, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Clinically Meaningful Cognitive Decline: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci.(2018-Oct-08)
    5. ^Michelle Brasure, Priyanka Desai, Heather Davila, Victoria A Nelson, Collin Calvert, Eric Jutkowitz, Mary Butler, Howard A Fink, Edward Ratner, Laura S Hemmy, J Riley McCarten, Terry R Barclay, Robert L KanePhysical Activity Interventions in Preventing Cognitive Decline and Alzheimer-Type Dementia: A Systematic ReviewAnn Intern Med.(2018 Jan 2)
    6. ^Jiang L, Cui H, Zhang C, Cao X, Gu N, Zhu Y, Wang J, Yang Z, Li CRepetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Improving Cognitive Function in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review.Front Aging Neurosci.(2020)
    7. ^Chen J, Wang Z, Chen Q, Fu Y, Zheng KTranscranial Direct Current Stimulation Enhances Cognitive Function in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early/Mid Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Brain Sci.(2022-Apr-27)
    8. ^Xie Y, Li Y, Nie L, Zhang W, Ke Z, Ku YCognitive Enhancement of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Front Cell Dev Biol.(2021)
    9. ^Butler M, McCreedy E, Nelson VA, Desai P, Ratner E, Fink HA, Hemmy LS, McCarten JR, Barclay TR, Brasure M, Davila H, Kane RLDoes Cognitive Training Prevent Cognitive Decline?: A Systematic Review.Ann Intern Med.(2018-Jan-02)
    10. ^Gates NJ, Vernooij RW, Di Nisio M, Karim S, March E, Martínez G, Rutjes AWComputerised cognitive training for preventing dementia in people with mild cognitive impairment.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2019-Mar-13)
    11. ^Swanson CJ, Zhang Y, Dhadda S, Wang J, Kaplow J, Lai RYK, Lannfelt L, Bradley H, Rabe M, Koyama A, Reyderman L, Berry DA, Berry S, Gordon R, Kramer LD, Cummings JLA randomized, double-blind, phase 2b proof-of-concept clinical trial in early Alzheimer's disease with lecanemab, an anti-Aβ protofibril antibody.Alzheimers Res Ther.(2021-Apr-17)
    12. ^Budd Haeberlein S, Aisen PS, Barkhof F, Chalkias S, Chen T, Cohen S, Dent G, Hansson O, Harrison K, von Hehn C, Iwatsubo T, Mallinckrodt C, Mummery CJ, Muralidharan KK, Nestorov I, Nisenbaum L, Rajagovindan R, Skordos L, Tian Y, van Dyck CH, Vellas B, Wu S, Zhu Y, Sandrock ATwo Randomized Phase 3 Studies of Aducanumab in Early Alzheimer's Disease.J Prev Alzheimers Dis.(2022)
    13. ^Avgerinos KI, Ferrucci L, Kapogiannis DEffects of monoclonal antibodies against amyloid-β on clinical and biomarker outcomes and adverse event risks: A systematic review and meta-analysis of phase III RCTs in Alzheimer's disease.Ageing Res Rev.(2021-Jul)
    14. ^Birks JS, Harvey RJDonepezil for dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2018-Jun-18)
    15. ^McShane R, Westby MJ, Roberts E, Minakaran N, Schneider L, Farrimond LE, Maayan N, Ware J, Debarros JMemantine for dementia.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2019-Mar-20)