Preventing cognitive decline via digital inclusion and virtual game management: an intervention study with older adults in the community.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of cognitive stimulation via digital inclusion and the practice of video games on the cognition of the older population. METHOD: This is a randomized controlled intervention study, nested in a population cohort study. Based on the application of the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) test, individuals aged 60 years or older with scores 0 and 0.5 were included and randomly allocated in the Intervention Group (IG) or Control Group (CG). Initially, 160 participants met the selection criteria and underwent neuropsychological evaluation via the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), applied before and after intervention. The IG (n = 62) participated in computer-based intervention once a week for one-and-a-half hours, for 4 months. The CG (n = 47) participated in the mindfulness workshops held in the same period. RESULTS: The digital literacy intervention group averaged 2.6 points more in the MoCA after 4 months. The change in the final MoCA decreased in 0.46 points at each unit in the basal MoCA. Individuals with average schooling had an increase of 0.93 points in the change of the MoCA in relation to individuals with low or high schooling. CONCLUSION: Digital inclusion combined with the practice of video games has the potential to improve the cognition of the older population.

Estrogen, but not progesterone, induces the activity of nitric oxide synthase within the medial preoptic area in female rats.

The control of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion depends on the action of ovarian steroids and several substances, including nitric oxide (NO). NO in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) stimulates the proestrus surge of luteinizing hormone (LH). We studied the effect of estrogen (Tamoxifen-TMX) and progesterone (RU-486) antagonists on mRNA and protein expression of NO synthase (NOS), the enzyme that produces NO, as well as its activity within MPOA. Female rats received s.c. injections of TMX (3mg/animal) on first and second days of the estrous cycle (9 am), RU-486 (2mg/animal) on first, second, (8 am and 5 pm) and third days of the estrous cycle (8 am) or oil (controls) and were killed on the third day (5 pm). Real time-PCR and western blotting were performed to study NOS mRNA and protein expressions. The NOS activity was indirectly assessed by measuring the conversion from [(14)C]-L-arginine into [(14)C]-L-citrulline. TMX significantly decreased neuronal NOS (nNOS) mRNA expression (90%), and the activity of NOS, but did not alter nNOS protein expression. Also, TMX significantly decreased LH, FSH, estrogen and progesterone plasma levels. RU-486 nor affected NOS mRNA and protein expressions neither the NOS activity in the MPOA, but reduced FSH levels. The nitrergic system in the MPOA can be stimulated by estrogen whereas TMX decreased NOS activity and mRNA expression. In conclusion, the involvement of the nitrergic system in the MPOA to induce the surge of LH on proestrus depends on the estrogen action to stimulate the mRNA-nNOS expression and the activity of nNOS but it does not seem to depend on progesterone action.