Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34924009›Full record

Trial reportJournal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation2021

Targeted cognitive game training enhances cognitive performance in multiple sclerosis patients treated with interferon beta 1-a.

Shay Menascu, Roy Aloni, Mark Dolev, David Magalashvili, Keren Gutman, Sapir Dreyer-Alster, Franck Tarpin-Bernard, Ran Achiron, Gil Harari, Anat Achiron

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 26% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Virtual reality for multiple sclerosis rehabilitation.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Shay MenascuMultiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Roy AloniMultiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Mark DolevMultiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.
David MagalashviliMultiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Keren GutmanMultiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Sapir Dreyer-AlsterMultiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel. sapir.dreyer@mail.huji.ac.il.ORCID 0000-0002-7475-1902
Franck Tarpin-BernardHAPPYneuron, Villeurbanne, France.
Ran AchironMultiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Gil HarariSchool of Public Health, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
Anat AchironMultiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Sheba Medical Center · ILTel Aviv University · ILUniversity of Haifa · IL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrevention of cognitive decline in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is of major importance. We explored the effect of a 6 months computerized game training program on cognitive performance in MS patients with mild cognitive impairment.

methodsThis was a single-center, randomized prospective study. We enrolled in this study 100 eligible MS patients treated with Interferon-beta-1a (Rebif). All had mild cognitive impairment in either executive function or information processing speed. Patients were randomized 1:1 to either use the cognitive games platform by HappyNeuron (HN) or receive no intervention. Executive function and information processing speed scores were measured at 3 and 6 months from baseline to evaluate the effect of game training on cognitive scores.

resultsIn both executive function and information processing speed, the game Training group showed significant improvement after 3 and 6 months. The Non-Training group showed mild deterioration in both domains at 3 months, and further deterioration that became significant at 6 months in executive function. Furthermore, at 6 months, the percent of patients in the Training group that improved or remained stable in both cognitive domains was significantly higher compared to the Non-Training group.

conclusionsOur findings suggest that cognitive game training has a beneficial effect on cognitive performance in MS patients suffering from mild cognitive impairment. While further evaluation is required to assess the longevity of that effect, we nonetheless recommend to MS patients to be engaged in cognitive gaming practice as part of a holistic approach to treating their condition.

Indexed as

Cognitive DysfunctionMultiple SclerosisCognitionHumansInterferon-betaNeuropsychological TestsProspective StudiesInterferon-betaCognitionExecutive functionGamesInformation processing speedInterferon-beta-1-aMultiple sclerosisPlasticityTraining

Identifiers

PMID34924009
PMCPMC8684659
OpenAlexW4226360771

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.