Computer-based Cognitive Training in Adults with Down's syndrome

Adults with Down Syndrome show a clear genetic susceptibility to developing Alzheimer's Disease, the most common cause of dementia world-wide. In this paper we describe a set of computer-based exercises designed for cognitive training of adults with Down Syndrome. The aim is to provide tele-rehabilitation via a Web application that can be used at home to create an en-riched environment. Each exercise is presented as a game with images, text and vocal communication. The user moves forward at increasing levels of difficulty according to previous positive percentage thresholds. Performance data is cen-trally collected and available to the tutor to check progress and better define the training. Several categories of exercises are needed to train different abilities: attention, memory, visual-spatial orientation, temporal orientation, pre-logical and logical operations, perception, visual analysis, language, and data rele-vance. At this time, two modules have been implemented for exercising atten-tion and memory.