Can an online lifestyle plan keep your brain bright? The research says yes

Could an online program help protect your brain? New research shows that a personalized digital intervention targeting diet, exercise and mental well-being can slow down cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia in elderly at risk.

Study: A multidomaine lifestyle intervention online to prevent cognitive decline in the elderly at risk: a randomized controlled trial. Image credit: Pathdoc / Shutterstock

With cases of dementia projected for triple by 2050, researchers explore innovative means to protect the health of the brain. In a recent study published in the journal Nature MedicineA research team in Australia has studied if a personalized intervention on the lifestyle called brain maintenance (MYB) can help the elderly improve cognition by targeting modifiable risk factors.

Dementia

Dementia is an increasing global concern, affecting millions and health systems in charge. Although aging is the strongest risk factor, research shows that lifestyle choices, such as food, physical activity and mental commitment, play an essential role in cognitive health. Studies have identified twelve modifiable risk factors, including physical inactivity, obesity, poor diet and depression, which contribute together to around 40% of dementia.

Previous studies on interventions based on lifestyle, such as the Finnish geriatric intervention study (finger test) have shown that a structured multidomaine lifestyle program can improve cognitive function. However, long-term digital solutions remain under-explored. Given generalized access to the Internet, researchers are now testing whether individual, online and scalable intervention could have an impact on the trajectory of cognitive decline in the elderly with risk of dementia.

Current study

This trial controlled randomized at three years, in a single blind, conducted in Australia, evaluated whether an intervention of a multidomaine lifestyle online could slow down cognitive decline in adults without dementia aged 55 to 77 years with at least two factors modifiable risk of dementia.

More than 6,104 participants with Internet and IT access were registered and assigned randomly in a 1: 1 report to the MyB intervention group or in an active control group. Those of the intervention group received personalized online coaching in four key areas: physical activity, nutrition, cognitive training and mental well-being (targeting depression or anxiety, if applicable). The control group has only received general health information related to these areas.

Participants engaged in the online program over one year, the follow -ups continuing for an additional two years. The researchers provided the intervention group of structured activities and focused on objectives, such as exercise programs, diet plans and brain training exercises, adapted to their specific dementia risk factors. Not all participants received the four interventions – modules were allocated according to individual risk profiles. The program also provided recall sessions to strengthen healthy behavior. On the other hand, the control group has received health information accessible to the public without an interactive commitment.

The cognitive function, measured using a global cognitive composite score (GCC), was the main result. This score was derived from a validated battery of neuropsychological tests. Secondary results included changes in individual cognitive fields (such as memory and executive function), lifestyle behavior and mental health measures.

Key conclusions

The results suggest that a structured and personalized online intervention could considerably improve cognitive function in the elderly. In three years, participants in the intervention group have shown an increase of 0.28 points in their GCC score, compared to an increase of 0.10 point in the control group. The difference between groups of 0.18 points was statistically significant (p <0.001), indicating a significant cognitive advantage for those who have engaged in the MyB program.

A more in -depth analysis has revealed that the three cognitive areas measured – complex attention (improvement of 0.16 point), executive function (improvement of 0.07 point) and memory (improvement of 0.19 point) – statistically significant improvements favoring the Intervention group (p <0.001 for all). In addition, young participants (aged 55 to 65) showed greater cognitive advantages than older participants (aged 66 to 77), and women have had larger cognitive improvements than men.

Beyond cognition, the study has also demonstrated significant lifestyle changes in the intervention group. Participants reported increased levels of physical activity (1.29 times more aerobic exercise and 1.17 times more strength training than witnesses), greater membership in a Mediterranean style diet (increased increase MEDICUL score of 8.72 points) and reduction of psychological distress (reduction in K10 score by 0.32 points, all p <0.001). However, no significant difference in body mass index changes (BMI) has been observed between groups.

Above all, the MyB program has also led to a modest but statistically significant reduction in the risk of dementia, measured by a validated risk of dementia (ANU-Adri-SF), the intervention group showing a reduction of −0.53 points compared to witnesses (p = 0.004).

The study also confirmed a strong dose-response effect: participants who finished at least 60% of their assigned activities had significantly greater cognitive advantages than those who were less committed (0.81 point of improvement in the CCC Compared to non-complees, p <0.001).

Challenges of commitment and improvements in control groups

While the intervention was effective, the program with the program has decreased over time. About a third of the participants finished most of the activities assigned, a third finished some (1 to 59%) and a third ended. This trend is in accordance with other digital health interventions.

The study also noted that the control group has shown a small but measurable cognitive improvement. Researchers suggest that this could be due to exposure to general health information, which could have encouraged some participants to modify their behavior. Thus, the observed effects of the intervention can be slightly conservative compared to a completely inactive control group.

Future limitations and orientations

Although the study has shown cognitive advantages and a reduction in the risk of dementia, it has not measured the real impact of dementia over time. Longer monitoring is necessary to determine whether these cognitive improvements result in lower dementia rates.

In addition, the study sample was mainly Caucasian and more educated than the general population, which can limit generalization. Future studies should explore to what extent prevention programs for digital dementia work in various populations, including those with lower socioeconomic status and limited internet access.

Conclusions

In summary, the study provided solid evidence that a personalized lifestyle intervention can improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of dementia in the elderly at risk of cognitive decline. By targeting several risk factors via an accessible and scalable digital platform, the MyB program offers a promising tool for dementia prevention efforts on a population scale. While the long -term effects on the incidence of dementia remain unknown, these results highlight the potential of online interventions in the promotion of large -scale brain health.