Ask an answerable question (PICO)：
Dementia is rapidly escalating globally, with an anticipated 1.32 billion patients by 2050. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is regarded as an intermediate stage of dementia, and without appropriate interventions, approximately 50% of MCI patients are expected to progress to dementia within the next 4 to 5 years. Given the limited effectiveness of traditional drug treatments, non-pharmacological interventions are gradually gaining prominence. Based on the theory of the brain's plasticity through repeated exercises, computerized cognitive training, with its advantages of convenience, flexibility, and comprehensiveness over traditional cognitive training, is considered an effective means to enhance cognitive function, promoting cognitive well-being in the elderly. This paper, through a literature review, explores the impact of computerized cognitive training on improving cognitive function in elderly with mild cognitive impairment. If successful in empirical studies, it holds the potential for widespread application in clinical care.
The Method and Analysis of Literature Review：
After formulating the research question, the PICO framework was applied for evidence retrieval. Mesh Terms, PICO keywords, synonyms, and Boolean logic (using "and" and "or") were utilized in searches across electronic resources such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, and the Airiti Library.
After setting the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 186 articles were identified through the literature search. Eliminating duplicate articles resulted in the removal of 7 articles, 97 articles were excluded based on mismatched titles, 55 articles had incongruent abstracts, 11 articles did not align with the specified content criteria, and 8 articles lacked accessible full texts. One article was not in English or Chinese, and 4 articles did not meet the criteria for being RCTs, systematic reviews, or meta-analyses. Ultimately, 3 articles were selected for literature review.
Critical Appraisal：
According to the 2011 version of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, OCEBM, the three selected articles are categorized as Level 1 and Level 2, respectively. The appraisal was conducted utilizing the 2020 version of the Critical Appraisal Skill Programme (CASP) RCT and SR Checklist as tools. These three selected articles demonstrated that cognitive function in elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment improved after receiving computerized cognitive training.
Results, Conclusions and Recommendations：
The comprehensive review of the literature indicate that computerized cognitive training is effective in improving cognitive function in older individuals with mild cognitive impairment. However, variations exist due to differences in regional culture, language, the policy of health insurance , as well as the diversity in training media, software, and applications used. Differences in intervention frequency and duration are also evident. In clinical practice in Taiwan, must careful consideration of these factors is necessary to ensure that the selected computerized cognitive training programs align with the cultural and language needs of the local elderly population. Moreover, adjustments in intervention timing and frequency should be made based on the lifestyle and social interaction habits of elderly individuals in Taiwan. In conclusion, taking into account specific local factors will contribute to the feasibility of promoting computerized cognitive training in the Taiwanese region.
