Improving Cognitive Function in Patients with Heart Failure – The Cognitive Training in Heart Failure Study (CogTrain-HF)

Patients with heart failure are usually affected by cognitive impairment, which is associated with lower adherence to treatments and higher morbidity and mortality. Previous studies in healthy samples showed that cognitive functions were improved after cognitive training up to a very old age. We therefore investigated the effect of a three-week computerized cognitive training on cognitive functions in patients with heart failure. 107 patients with stable heart failure (male = 88%, median age = 69 years, range = 31 to 84 years) participated in the study and were followed up at three and six months. Participants were either randomized to a cognitive training group that trained shifting and working memory, an active control group that trained general knowledge or a waiting list control group. Significant performance gains occurred on the trained tasks for shifting and working memory as well as transfer of these gains to overall cognitive performance, particularly working memory, short-term memory, episodic memory and processing speed. Improvements in overall cognitive performance were stable at three-month follow-up, but not after six months. Cognitive training led to broad and sustained cognitive gains in patients with stable heart failure that may support adherence and reduce morbidity and mortality. These effects need to be further investigated in controlled randomized clinical trials. ClinicalTrials.gov registration Identifier. NCT02415517.