Mental Health Disorders

Multidomain Intervention Could Help Prevent Cognitive Decline

A multidomain intervention, including mental and physical training, could decrease the risk of cognitive decline in at-risk elderly patients, according to a recent study.

Previous research has pointed to an association between dementia and certain modifiable lifestyle-related and vascular risk factors. For this reason, researchers conducted a proof-of-concept, randomized, controlled study to determine how an intense multidomain intervention targeting these risk factors would impact the risk of cognitive decline.
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For the study, researchers screened individuals between 60 and 77 years old and randomly assigned 631 to an intervention group and 629 to a control group. 

Participants in the intervention group were subject to a 2-year regimen including:

  • Nutritional guidance tailored to each participant
  • Physical training, including aerobic exercise and strength training
  • Both group and individualized cognitive training
  • Management of vascular risk factors.

After 2 years, the cognition scores of those in the intervention group saw a 25% greater improvement compared to those in the control group.

Researchers noted that while the interventions were effective at improving the risk of cognitive decline, the rate of adverse events was higher in the intervention group (46) compared to just 6 in the control group.

The complete study is published in the March issue of the Lancet.

-Michelle Canales Butcher

Reference:

1. Ngandu T, Lehtisalo J, Solomon E, et al. A 2 year multidomain intervention f diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk monitoring versus control to prevent cognitive decline in at-risk elderly people (FINGER): a randomized controlled trial. Lancet. 2015 March [epub ahead of print] doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60461-5.