Neural substrate of a cognitive intervention program using Go game: a positron emission tomography study.

Influence of cognitive intervention programs on brain activity has not been enough explored.The aims of the present study were to clarify changes in brain activity from a cognitive intervention program utilizing the board game "Go" and to examine the relationship between brain activity and the acquisition of Go skills.Eighteen community-dwelling older adults were randomly assigned either to an intervention group (IG), in which members attended 12 Go lessons either in groups or individually using tablet computers, or a control group (CG), in which members attended health education lectures unrelated to Go. Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET), cognitive assessments, and Go tests were performed before and after the intervention.The results showed different patterns of regional FDG uptake in both groups: regional cerebral glucose metabolism was significantly increased in the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG) and bilateral putamen (p < 0.01; cluster level) in the IG, and in the left superior frontal gyrus in the CG, (p < 0.01; cluster level). Furthermore, Go test scores were significantly improved in the IG (p < 0.05), and a significant association was observed between changes in Go test scores and glucose metabolism in the left MTG (p < 0.05).This study indicates that a cognitive intervention program using Go may enhance brain activity. Further studies with larger populations and longer observation periods are needed to clarify the neural mechanisms underlying our Go intervention program.