Trial detects no cognitive benefit from lifestyle and memory help
A six-month randomized trial of 270 older adults reporting cognitive decline detected no advantage over education alone in thinking ability or everyday function.
6 months
Limit: Follow-up lasted only six months
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
In a randomized trial, 270 older adults with subjective cognitive decline—self-reported worsening of memory or thinking—received either a combined lifestyle and memory-support program or education alone for six months. A digital application supported the program, which included physical exercise, cognitive and social engagement, and well-being exercises. Memory strategies included goal setting, to-do lists and calendar scheduling.
Using an analysis based on participants’ assigned groups, researchers detected no differences in overall thinking ability or everyday function at six months. The combined-program group had better results for gratitude, a measure of well-being. The authors concluded that this approach may enhance aspects of emotional well-being.
Why it matters
Dementia risk reduction programs aim to support cognitive health as people age. The authors suggest that participants’ starting characteristics may help determine who benefits most from this approach.
Caveats
The six-month results do not establish whether the program affected participants’ later dementia risk. The abstract does not report adverse events, and the findings concern older adults with self-reported cognitive decline.
- Brain boosters multidomain lifestyle and memory support intervention
- Subjective cognitive decline
- Dementia
- Humans
The paper
University of California Davis Medical Center; Washington State University
International Psychogeriatrics, Jun 1, 2026, Open access
