1. Introduction
cognitive impairment, memory complaints, MCI, dementia, cognition and cognitive functions, STM, cognitive decline
Age-related subjective memory complaints (SMC) are a common concern among older adults. However, little is known about the effects of cognitive stimulation (CS) interventions on subjective memory complaints. The aim of this study was to analyse the effectiveness of a CS programme on global cognition and cognitive functions of older adults with SMC. A randomised clinical trial was conducted on older adults with SMC, including 308 participants ≥65 years of age assessed 6 and 12 months after the intervention. The assessment instrument was the Spanish version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MEC-35), and all domains of the instrument were assessed. For statistical analysis, the data were analysed using robust ANOVA with means truncated at 20% utilising a two-way repeated measures model, with between (groups) and within (measurements) factors. In post hoc tests, a Wilcoxon signed-rank test of exact permutations between groups and Bonferroni correction were applied. In post hoc between-group tests, significant differences were found: (1) post-treatment in MEC-35, temporal orientation, short-term memory (STM), global language and praxis, and language and praxis (Age-related subjective memory complaints (SMC) are a common concern among older adults [SMC are defined as types of complaints made by subjects regarding their cognition, but no clear impairment is found by objective psychometric tests [SMC can usually be evidenced without the presence of objective cognitive impairment [SMC are not only related to ageing [Additionally, older age, female gender, low education level, and low social activity have been associated with SMC in older adults [There is, therefore, great interest in conducting studies based on non-pharmacological interventions in older adults with SMC in order to prevent MCI and dementia by reducing aggravation of losses in memory, executive function, and other cognitive functions, especially in women with low levels of education [Cognitive stimulation (CS) is a non-pharmacological intervention defined as “participation in a series of group activities and discussions (usually in a group), aimed at the general improvement of cognitive and social functioning” [The literature suggests that the effects of CS are observed only in tasks and skills similar to those in which individuals have been trained. This implies that the training effect is usually specific to the stimulated cognitive domain [It is clearly demonstrated that CS helps to counteract age-related cognitive decline [Our study hypothesises that older adults with SMC may improve cognitively at the global level and in some cognitive domains as a result of participating in the CS programme.Therefore, the study aimed to analyse the effectiveness of a CS programme in older adults with SMC on global cognition and on specific trained domains in the short-, medium-, and long term.