The purpose of this research study is to see if lifestyle changes can protect memory and thinking (cognition) as we age. A recent study in Finland found that a combination of physical and cognitive exercise, diet, and social activity protected cognitive function in healthy older adults who were at increased risk of significant memory loss. So far no medications can rival this positive outcome. The point of POINTER is to test if lifestyle change can also protect against memory loss in Americans.
Lifestyle interventions focused on combining healthy diet, physical activity, and social and intellectual challenges may represent a promising therapeutic strategy to protect brain health. The recent results of the population-based 2-year clinical trial, Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER), indicated that a multidomain intervention of physical activity, nutritional guidance, cognitive training, social activities, and management of heart health risk factors protected cognitive function in healthy older adults at increased risk of cognitive decline. As yet, there are no pharmacological treatment options that can rival this effect. Thus, there is an urgent need to expand this work to test the generalizability, adaptability and sustainability of its findings in diverse and global populations. This pivotal U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER) will test whether a similar 2-year intensive lifestyle intervention, adapted to American culture and delivered within the community, can protect cognitive function in older adults in the U.S. who are at increased risk for cognitive decline and dementia. If successful, the results of this study will have large-scale implications for public policy regarding standard of clinical care and prescriptive practices for a fast-growing and vulnerable population of older adults.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
Lifestyle intervention that involves providing participants with education, support, and tangible tools to assist them in developing and carrying out healthier lifestyle practices.
Lifestyle intervention that involves a structured program of diet, physical and cognitive exercise, and management of cardiometabolic risks.
Northern California
Sacramento, California, United States
Chicagoland--Rush
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Chicagoland--Advocate Aurora Health
Downers Grove, Illinois, United States
North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
Global cognitive function composite score
Global cognitive function will be obtained from a composite score derived from subtest scores on the POINTER modified Neuropsychological Test Battery (PmNTB) that includes: Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test, Story Recall, Visual Paired Associates, Number Span, Word Fluency, Trail-Making Test, and Digit Symbol Substitution Test. Scores from each individual test will be converted to z-scores that typically range from -3 to 3, with higher scores reflecting better performance, and averaged to form a composite. The primary outcome is the slope of these composite scores over repeated assessments (standard deviation units per year), with less negative (or positive) slopes reflecting better performance.
Time frame: up to 2 years
Episodic memory composite score
This will be a composite score from PmNTB subtests Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test, Story Recall, Visual Paired Associates; and experimental measures: Cogstate One-Card Learning, Face Name Associative Memory Exam, and Behavioral Pattern Separation of Objects, calculated in a manner parallel to how the primary composite outcome is calculated. This secondary outcome is the slope of these composite scores over time (standard deviation units per year) with less negative (or positive) slopes reflecting better performance.
Time frame: up to 2 years
Executive function composite score
This will be a composite score from PmNTB subtests Number Span, Word Fluency, Trail-Making Test Part B, Digit Symbol Substitution Test; and experimental measures: Cogstate One Back, and Digital Clock Drawing Test, calculated in a manner parallel to the primary composite outcome is calculated. This secondary outcome is the slope of these composite scores over time (standard deviation units per year) with less negative (or positive) slopes reflecting better performance.
Time frame: up to 2 years
Processing speed composite score
This will be a composite score from PmNTB subtests Trail-Making Test Part A and Digit Symbol Substitution Test; and experimental measures: Cogstate Detection and Identification, and Digital Clock Drawing Test calculated in a manner parallel to the primary composite outcome is calculated. This secondary outcome is the slope of these composite scores over time (standard deviation units per year) with less negative (or positive) slopes reflecting better performance.
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2,000
New England--Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
Houston
Houston, Texas, United States
Time frame: up to 2 years
Clinical dementia rating-sum of boxes
The Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) is a clinical scale that rates the severity of dementia as absent, questionable, mild, moderate, or severe (CDR score of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, or 3, respectively) across six domains. Scores from these domains are summed ranging from 0 to 18, with higher scores reflecting worse performance. The secondary outcome will be the change in the mean scores from baseline to 2 years.
Time frame: up to 2 years
Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) score
The Lawton-Brody IADL is a commonly used scale in clinical practice and research that assess a person's functional ability to complete tasks such as shopping, food preparation, transportation, and managing finances. Scores range from 0 to 8 for women and from 0 to 5 for men, with higher scores reflecting better performance. The secondary outcome will be the change in the mean scores from baseline to 2 years.
Time frame: up to 2 years
Everyday cognition (ECog) score
The ECog is a validated scale developed to assess everyday functional status. The short form of the instrument will be used in U.S. POINTER. Scores range from 0 to 4 with higher scores reflecting greater poorer function. The secondary outcome will be the change in the mean scores from baseline to 2 years.
Time frame: up to 2 years
Digital clock drawing test (DCTClock) time
DCTClock assesses cognition via novel software that processes information from a commercially available digital pen. This software is able to capture nuances in cognitive performance. Many metrics can be generated with this device. The secondary outcome for U.S. POINTER will be time (in seconds) to completion of the clock drawing test, with longer times reflecting poorer processing speed. The secondary outcome will be the change in the mean scores from baseline to 2 years.
Time frame: up to 2 years
Lifestyle composite score
This composite score is based on self-reported Physical Activity Questionnaire, Rush Food Frequency Questionnaire, and the Cognitive Activity Questionnaire. Participants will be ordered with respect to each index, with higher scores reflecting 1) greater daily physical activity, 2) greater conformance with the MIND Diet, and 3) greater cognitive activity. Based on these orderings, participants will be assigned percentiles with respect to each measure relative to the overall group. These percentiles will range from 0 to 100. The secondary outcome will be the average of the three percentiles. The secondary outcome will be the change in the mean scores from baseline to 2 years.
Time frame: up to 2 years
Deficit accumulation frailty index score
The Deficit Accumulation Frailty Index (DAFI) is a quantitative measure of frailty that assesses the accumulation of health deficits across various domains, including physical, cognitive, and social functions. The DAFI is calculated by dividing the number of health deficits present by the total number of possible deficits assessed. A score of 0.15 or less is typically considered non-frail, while a score of 0.25 or higher is considered frail. Scores between 0.15 and 0.25 may indicate pre-frailty.
Time frame: up to 2 years