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Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) represents a precursor to dementia, necessitating early diagnosis and intervention to mitigate its progression. Various risk factors, including apathy and cognitive reserve, influence MCI onset and prognosis. Non-pharmacological interventions, such as cognitive stimulation and transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), show promise in improving cognitive status, while Socially Assistive Robots (SARs), such as Pepper, a humanoid robot manufactured by SoftBank Robotics, offer innovative avenues for enhancing cognitive and socio-emotional well-being in aging populations. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of an integrated non-pharmacological intervention in preventing MCI progression by enhancing cognitive reserve and socio-motivational well-being in neurologically unaffected adults at high risk of cognitive decline. Fifteen high-risk individuals were randomly assigned to the Pepper + tDCS group, tDCS-only group, or control group. All participants engaged in a 16-week intervention, meeting twice a week. The Pepper + tDCS group received combined tDCS, cognitive, and social/motivational stimulation facilitated by the Pepper robot. The tDCS-only group received tDCS treatment alone, and the control group did not receive any specific intervention. Clinical and neuropsychological assessments were conducted at baseline (T0) and post-treatment (T1). The Pepper + tDCS group showed significant improvements in cognitive flexibility, memory satisfaction, and executive function post-treatment. In contrast, the tDCS-only group exhibited improvements solely in cognitive performance, particularly in delayed recall tasks. No significant changes were observed in the control group. The integrated non-pharmacological intervention demonstrated promising outcomes in enhancing cognitive and behavioral domains among high-risk individuals for cognitive decline. These findings underscore the potential of technology-based interventions, such as SARs, in promoting cognitive health and well-being in aging populations. Further research with larger samples and longitudinal designs is needed to validate these findings and explore long-term efficacy and real-world applicability.

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Prevention of Mild Cognitive Impairment: An Integrated Intervention

  • 章节

  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Alfonsina D’Iorio,
  • Giovanni Luca Di Benedetto,
  • Lucia Di Laora,
  • Alessandra Sorrentino,
  • Filippo Cavallo,
  • Gabriella Santangelo,
  • Gennaro Cordasco,
  • Anna Esposito

摘要

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) represents a precursor to dementia, necessitating early diagnosis and intervention to mitigate its progression. Various risk factors, including apathy and cognitive reserve, influence MCI onset and prognosis. Non-pharmacological interventions, such as cognitive stimulation and transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), show promise in improving cognitive status, while Socially Assistive Robots (SARs), such as Pepper, a humanoid robot manufactured by SoftBank Robotics, offer innovative avenues for enhancing cognitive and socio-emotional well-being in aging populations. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of an integrated non-pharmacological intervention in preventing MCI progression by enhancing cognitive reserve and socio-motivational well-being in neurologically unaffected adults at high risk of cognitive decline. Fifteen high-risk individuals were randomly assigned to the Pepper + tDCS group, tDCS-only group, or control group. All participants engaged in a 16-week intervention, meeting twice a week. The Pepper + tDCS group received combined tDCS, cognitive, and social/motivational stimulation facilitated by the Pepper robot. The tDCS-only group received tDCS treatment alone, and the control group did not receive any specific intervention. Clinical and neuropsychological assessments were conducted at baseline (T0) and post-treatment (T1). The Pepper + tDCS group showed significant improvements in cognitive flexibility, memory satisfaction, and executive function post-treatment. In contrast, the tDCS-only group exhibited improvements solely in cognitive performance, particularly in delayed recall tasks. No significant changes were observed in the control group. The integrated non-pharmacological intervention demonstrated promising outcomes in enhancing cognitive and behavioral domains among high-risk individuals for cognitive decline. These findings underscore the potential of technology-based interventions, such as SARs, in promoting cognitive health and well-being in aging populations. Further research with larger samples and longitudinal designs is needed to validate these findings and explore long-term efficacy and real-world applicability.