Differences in Habitual and Maximal Gait Velocity Across Age Groups: A Cross-Sectional Examination.

Prior work, primarily focusing on habitual gait velocity, has demonstrated a cost while walking when coupled with a cognitive task. The cost of dual-task walking is exacerbated with age and complexity of the cognitive or motor task. However, few studies have examined the dual-task cost associated with maximal gait velocity. Thus, this cross-sectional study examined age-related changes in dual-task (serial subtraction) walking at two velocities. Participants were classified by age: young-old (45-64 years), middle-old (65-79 years), and oldest-old (≥80 years). They completed single- and dual-task walking trials for each velocity: habitual (N = 217) and maximal (N = 194). While no significant Group × Condition interactions existed for habitual or maximal gait velocities, the main effects for both condition and age groups were significant (p < .01). Maximal dual-task cost (p = .01) was significantly greater in the oldest-old group. With age, both dual-task velocities decreased. Maximal dual-task cost was greatest for the oldest-old group.

A Novel Digital Digit-Symbol Substitution Test Measuring Processing Speed in Adults At Risk for Alzheimer Disease: Validation Study.

BACKGROUND: Assessing cognitive constructs affected by Alzheimer disease, such as processing speed (PS), is important to screen for potential disease and allow for early detection. Digital PS assessments have been developed to provide widespread, efficient cognitive testing, but all have been validated only based on the correlation between test scores. Best statistical practices dictate that concurrent validity should be assessed for agreement or equivalence rather than using correlation alone. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the concurrent validity of a novel digital PS assessment against a gold-standard measure of PS. METHODS: Adults aged 45-75 years (n=191) participated in this study. Participants completed the novel digital digit-symbol substitution test (DDSST) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status coding test (RBANS-C). The correlation between the test scores was determined using a Pearson product-moment correlation, and a difference in mean test scores between tests was checked for using a 2-tailed dependent samples t test. Data were analyzed for agreement between the 2 tests using Bland-Altman limits of agreement and equivalency using a two one-sided t tests (TOST) approach. RESULTS: A significant moderate, positive correlation was found between DDSST and RBANS-C scores (r=.577; P<.001), and no difference in mean scores was detected between the tests (P=.93). Bias was nearly zero (0.04). Scores between the tests were found to display adequate agreement with 90% of score differences falling between -22.66 and 22.75 (90% limits of agreement=-22.91 to 22.99), and the scores were equivalent (P=.049). CONCLUSIONS: Analyses indicate that the DDSST is a valid digital assessment of PS. The DDSST appears to be a suitable option for widespread, immediate, and efficient PS testing. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04559789; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04559789.

The effect of a digital health coaching and health education protocol on cognition in adults at-risk for Alzheimer's.

Several modifiable lifestyle factors have been linked to cognitive ability and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Health coaching (HC) is an intervention that addresses lifestyle factors associated with cognition. The effectiveness of an HC protocol was evaluated and compared with a health education (HE) intervention, representing the current standard of care, in a sample of 216 adults between the ages of 45 and 75 years who were at-risk for developing ADRD. Outcomes examined were global cognition, neuropsychological cognition, and Alzheimer's risk. HC participants received personalized coaching from a health coach focusing on nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, social engagement, and cognitive activity. HE participants received biweekly education materials focusing on the same modifiable lifestyle factors addressed by HC. Participants were assessed at baseline and again 4 months later. Self-reported global cognition scores improved only in the HC group (16.18 to 15.52, p = .03) and neuropsychological cognitive ability improved in the HE group (104.48 to 108.76, p < .001). When non-adherence in the HC group was accounted for, however, the mean change in neuropsychological score was similar between groups (p > .05), self-reported global cognition demonstrated an even larger mean improvement in the HC group (16.20 to 15.41, p = .01), and the HC group saw an improvement in ADRD protective risk score (- 10.39 to - 11.45, p = .007). These results indicate that HC and HE can both improve cognition, but HC may be more effective and may yield increased protection against ADRD risk.

Intervention for a Digital, Cognitive, Multi-Domain Alzheimer Risk Velocity Study: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: In the United States, more than 6 million adults live with Alzheimer disease (AD) that affects 1 out of every 3 older adults. Although there is no cure for AD currently, lifestyle-based interventions aimed at slowing the rate of cognitive decline or delaying the onset of AD have shown promising results. However, most studies primarily focus on older adults (>55 years) and use in-person interventions. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine the effects of a 2-year digital lifestyle intervention on AD risk among at-risk middle-aged and older adults (45-75 years) compared with a health education control. METHODS: The lifestyle intervention consists of a digitally delivered, personalized health coaching program that directly targets the modifiable risk factors for AD. The primary outcome measure is AD risk as determined by the Australian National University-Alzheimer Disease Risk Index; secondary outcome measures are functional fitness, blood biomarkers (inflammation, glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides), and cognitive function (Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status and Neurotrack Cognitive Battery). Screening commenced in January 2021 and was completed in June 2021. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics indicate no difference between the intervention and control groups for AD risk (mean -1.68, SD 7.31; P=.90). CONCLUSIONS: The intervention in the Digital, Cognitive, Multi-domain Alzheimer Risk Velocity is uniquely designed to reduce the risk of AD through a web-based health coaching experience that addresses the modifiable lifestyle-based risk factors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04559789; https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT04559789. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/31841.

Asynchronous Remote Assessment for Cognitive Impairment: Reliability Verification of the Neurotrack Cognitive Battery.

BACKGROUND: As evidenced by the further reduction in access to testing during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an urgent, growing need for remote cognitive assessment for individuals with cognitive impairment. The Neurotrack Cognitive Battery (NCB), our response to this need, was evaluated for its temporal reliability and stability as part of ongoing validation testing. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the temporal reliability of the NCB tests (5 total) across a 1-week period and to determine the temporal stability of these measures across 3 consecutive administrations in a single day. METHODS: For test-retest reliability, a range of 29-66 cognitively healthy participants (ages 18-68 years) completed each cognitive assessment twice, 1 week apart. In a separate study, temporal stability was assessed using data collected from 31 different cognitively healthy participants at 3 consecutive timepoints in a single day. RESULTS: Correlations for the assessments were between 0.72 and 0.83, exceeding the standard acceptable threshold of 0.70 for temporal reliability. Intraclass correlations ranged from 0.60 to 0.84, indicating moderate to good temporal stability. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the NCB as a brief, easy-to-administer, and reliable assessment for remote cognitive testing. Additional validation research is underway to determine the full magnitude of the clinical utility of the NCB.

Acute Inositol-Stabilized Arginine Silicate Improves Cognitive Outcomes in Healthy Adults.

Inositol-stabilized arginine silicate (ASI) is an ergogenic aid that upregulates nitric oxide. Acute ASI supplementation improves working memory and processing speed in young adults but there is a lack of data examining other cognitive tasks. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine acute ASI effects on young healthy adults by assessing multiple cognitive domains. Nineteen young adults (20.9 ± 3.2 years) completed this randomized, double-blind, crossover study consuming ASI (1.5 g ASI + 12 g dextrose) and placebo (12 g dextrose). The participants completed the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and two digital cognitive assessments before consuming the supplement and then completed the same battery of tests 60 min post-supplementation. Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated that ASI consumption significantly improved total RBANS and immediate memory scores compared to the placebo (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were displayed between trials for other cognitive domains (p > 0.05). Acute ASI ingestion increased overall RBANS scores and immediate memory scores in young adults. More research is needed to examine the acute effects of ASI on other domains of cognition, in older populations, and its long-term effects on cognition.

A short digital eye-tracking assessment predicts cognitive status among adults.

Current cognitive assessments suffer from limited scalability and high user burden. This study aimed to (1) examine the relationship between a brief eye-tracking-based visual paired-comparison (VPC) and gold standard cognitive assessments, (2) examine longitudinal stability of the VPC task, (3) determine the ability of the VPC task to differentiate between cognitively normal (CN) individuals and individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Fifty-five adults (n = 44 CN, n = 11 MCI; 56.4 ± 26.7 years) were tested on two occasions, separated by at least 14 days. Visit 1 included VPC, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Digit Symbol Coding test (DSC), and NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery (NIHTB-CB). Visit 2 included VPC, DSC, NIHTB-CB, and dual-task (DT). Significant differences existed between baseline VPC scores for CN and MCI groups (p < .001). VPC scores remained stable over time in both groups (p < .05). Significant associations existed between VPC and MoCA (p < .01), DSC (p < .001), and various NIHTB-CB subtests at both time points. The VPC test significantly predicts cognitive outcomes (p < .05), with age and VPC being the only significant predictors. Additionally, area under the curve (receiver operator characteristic = 0.80) for VPC scores demonstrated good classification accuracy. VPC reliably predicted cognitive status while remaining stable over time and displayed significant associations with gold standard cognitive assessments. VPC is a less burdensome and more scalable assessment than traditional tests, enabling longitudinal monitoring of cognitive status in resource-limited environments.

Cognitive decline negatively impacts physical function.

Many older adults report difficulty performing one or more activities of daily living. These difficulties may be attributed to cognitive decline and as a result, measuring cognitive status among aging adults may help provide an understanding of current functional status. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the association between cognitive status and measures of physical functioning. Seventy-six older adults participated in this study; 41 were categorized as normal memory function (NM) and 35 were poor memory function (PM). NM participants had significantly higher physical function as measured by Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB; 9.4 ± 2.2 vs. 8.4 ± 2.0; p = .03) and peak velocity (0.67 ± 0.16 vs. 0.56 ± 0.19; p = .04) during a quick sit-to-stand task. Dual-task walking velocities were 22% and 126% slower between cognitive groups for the fast and habitual trials, respectively when compared to the single-task walking condition. Significant correlations existed between measures of memory and physical function. The largest correlations with memory were for peak (r = 0.42) and average (r = 0.38) velocity. The results suggest a positive relationship between physical function and cognitive status. However, further research is needed to determine the mechanism of the underlying relationships between physical and cognitive function.

Device-Embedded Cameras for Eye Tracking-Based Cognitive Assessment: Implications for Teleneuropsychology.

Introduction:Widespread screening for cognitive decline is an important challenge to address as the aging population grows, but there is currently a shortage of clinical infrastructure to meet the demand for in-person evaluation. Remotely delivered assessments that utilize eye-tracking data from webcams, such as visual paired comparison (VPC) tasks, could increase access to remote, asynchronous neuropsychological screening for cognitive decline but further validation against clinical-grade eye trackers is required.Methods:To demonstrate equivalence between a novel automated scoring system for eye-tracking metrics acquired through a laptop-embedded camera and a gold-standard eye tracker, we analyzed VPC data from 18 subjects aged 50+ with normal cognitive function across three visits. The eye tracker data were scored by the manufacturer's software, and the webcam data were scored by a novel algorithm.Results:Automated scoring of webcam-based VPC data revealed strong correlations with the clinical-grade eye-tracking camera. Correlation of mean VPC performance across all time points was robust: r = 0.95 (T1 r = 0.97; T2 r = 0.88; T3 r = 0.97; p's < 0.001). Correlation of per-trial performance across time points was also robust: r = 0.88 (T1 r = 0.85; T2 r = 0.89; T3 r = 0.92; p's < 0.001). Mean differences between performance data acquired by each device were 0.00.Conclusion:These results suggest that device-embedded cameras are a valid and scalable alternative to traditional laboratory-based equipment for gaze-based tasks measuring cognitive function. The validation of this technique represents an important technical advance for the field of teleneuropsychology.

Face-to-Face and Digital Multidomain Lifestyle Interventions to Enhance Cognitive Reserve and Reduce Risk of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias: A Review of Completed and Prospective Studies.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is no pharmaceutical intervention to treat or delay pathological cognitive decline or Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Multidomain lifestyle interventions are increasingly being studied as a non-pharmacological solution to enhance cognitive reserve, maintain cognition, and reduce the risk of or delay ADRD. Review of completed and prospective face-to-face (FTF) and digital multidomain interventions provides an opportunity to compare studies and informs future interventions and study design. METHODS: Electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, clinicaltrials.gov and NIH RePORTER) were searched for multidomain lifestyle programs. Studies were included if the program (1) included a control group, (2) included at least 3 interventions, (3) were at least 6 months in duration, and (4) included measurement of cognitive performance as an outcome. RESULTS: In total, 17 multidomain lifestyle programs aimed at enhancing cognitive reserve and reducing risk of ADRD were found. Thirteen programs are FTF in intervention delivery, with 3 FTF programs replicating the FINGER protocol as part of the World Wide Fingers Consortium. Four programs are delivered digitally (website, Web application, or mobile app). Program characteristics (e.g., target population, duration, frequency, outcomes, and availability) and results of completed and prospective studies are reviewed and discussed. CONCLUSION: This review updates and discusses completed and current multidomain lifestyle interventions aimed at enhancing cognitive reserve and reducing risk of ADRD. A growing number of international studies are investigating the efficacy and utility of these programs in both FTF and digital contexts. While a diversity of study designs and interventions exist, FTF and digital programs that build upon the foundational work of the FINGER protocol have significant potential to enhance cognitive reserve and reduce risk of ADRD.

Validation of a digitally delivered visual paired comparison task: reliability and convergent validity with established cognitive tests.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects the memory and cognitive function of approximately 5.7 million Americans. Early detection subsequently allows for earlier treatment and improves outcomes. Currently, there exists a validated 30-min eye-tracking cognitive assessment (VPC-30) for predicting AD risk. However, a shorter assessment would improve user experience and improve scalability. Thus, the purposes were to (1) determine convergent validity between the 5-min web camera-based eye-tracking task (VPC-5) and VPC-30, (2) examine the relationship between VPC-5 and gold-standard cognitive tests, and (3) determine the reliability and stability of VPC-5. This prospective study included two healthy cohorts: older adults (65+ years, n = 20) and younger adults (18-46 years, n = 24). Participants were tested on two separate occasions. Visit 1 included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Digit Symbol Coding test (DSC), NIH Toolbox Cognitive Battery (NIHTB-CB), VPC-30, and VPC-5. Visit 2 occurred at least 14 days later; participants completed the VPC-5, DSC, NIHTB-CB, and dual-task walking assessments (DT). VPC-30 significantly correlated with VPC-5 at the first (p < .001) and second (p = .001) time points. VPC-5 and DSC (p < .01) and Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test (PSPAC) (p = .01) were also correlated on day 1. Significant associations existed between VPC-5 and DSC (p < .001), Flanker Inhibitory Control Test (p = .05), PSPAC (p < .001), and Picture Sequence Memory Test (p = .02) during day 14 testing session. The test retest reliability of VPC-5 was significant (p < .001). VPC-5 displayed moderate convergent validity with the VPC-30 and gold-standard measures of cognition, while demonstrating strong stability, suggesting it is a valuable assessment for monitoring memory function.

Dietary Protein and Amino Acid Intake: Links to the Maintenance of Cognitive Health.

With the rapid growth in the aging population, there has been a subsequent increase in the rates of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). To combat these increases in ADRD, scientists and clinicians have begun to place an increased emphasis on preventative methods to ameliorate disease rates, with a primary focus area on dietary intake. Protein/amino acid intake is a burgeoning area of research as it relates to the prevention of ADRD, and consumption is directly related to a number of disease-related risk factors as such low-muscle mass, sleep, stress, depression, and anxiety. As a result, the role that protein/amino acid intake plays in affecting modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline has provided a robust area for scientific exploration; however, this research is still speculative and specific mechanisms have to be proven. The purpose of this review is to describe the current understanding of protein and amino acids and the preventative roles they play with regard to ADRD, while providing future recommendations for this body of research. Additionally, we will discuss the current recommendations for protein intake and how much protein older adults should consume in order to properly manage their long-term risk for cognitive decline.

Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease: Biological Mechanisms of Exercise.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. With an aging population and no disease modifying treatments available, AD is quickly becoming a global pandemic. A substantial body of research indicates that lifestyle behaviors contribute to the development of AD, and that it may be worthwhile to approach AD like other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, in which prevention is paramount. Exercise is an important lifestyle behavior that may influence the course and pathology of AD, but the biological mechanisms underpinning these effects remain unclear. This review focuses on how exercise can modify four possible mechanisms which are involved with the pathology of AD: oxidative stress, inflammation, peripheral organ and metabolic health, and direct interaction with AD pathology. Exercise is just one of many lifestyle behaviors that may assist in preventing AD, but understanding the systemic and neurobiological mechanisms by which exercise affects AD could help guide the development of novel pharmaceutical agents and non-pharmacological personalized lifestyle interventions for at-risk populations.

A Remote Intervention to Prevent or Delay Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults: Design, Recruitment, and Baseline Characteristics of the Virtual Cognitive Health (VC Health) Study.

BACKGROUND: A growing body of evidence supports the use of lifestyle interventions for preventing or delaying the onset of Alzheimer disease and other forms of dementia in at-risk individuals. The development of internet-delivered programs would increase the scalability and reach of these interventions, but requires validation to ensure similar effectiveness to brick-and-mortar options. OBJECTIVE: We describe the study design, recruitment process, and baseline participant characteristics of the sample in the Virtual Cognitive Health (VC Health) study. Future analyses will assess the impact of the remotely delivered lifestyle intervention on (1) cognitive function, (2) depression and anxiety, and (3) various lifestyle behaviors, including diet, exercise, and sleep, in a cohort of older adults with subjective memory decline. Additional analyses will explore feasibility outcomes, as well as the participants' engagement patterns with the program. METHODS: Older adults (aged 60-75 years) with subjective memory decline as measured by the Subjective Cognitive Decline 9-item (SCD-9) questionnaire, and who reported feeling worried about their memory decline, were eligible to participate in this single-arm pre-post study. All participants enrolled in the yearlong digital intervention, which consists of health coach-guided lifestyle change for improving diet, exercise, sleep, stress, and cognition. All components of this study were conducted remotely, including the collection of data and the administration of the intervention. We assessed participants at baseline, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, and 52 weeks with online surveys and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) test. We will conduct intention-to-treat analysis on all outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 85 participants enrolled in the intervention and 82 are included in the study sample (3 participants withdrew). The study cohort of 82 participants comprises 61 (74%) female, 72 (88%) white, and 64 (78%) overweight or obese participants, and 55 (67%) have at least a college degree. The average baseline RBANS score was 95.9 (SD 11.1), which is within age-adjusted norms. The average SCD-9 score was 6.0 (SD 2.0), indicating minor subjective cognitive impairment at the beginning of the study. The average baseline Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale score was 6.2 (SD 4.5), and the average Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item score was 8.5 (SD 4.9), indicating mild levels of anxiety and depression at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Internet-delivered lifestyle interventions are a scalable solution for the prevention or delay of Alzheimer disease. The results of this study will provide the first evidence for the effectiveness of a fully remote intervention and lay the groundwork for future investigations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02969460; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02969460 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/71LkYAkSh). REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER: RR1-10.2196/11368.

Device-Embedded Cameras for Eye Tracking-Based Cognitive Assessment: Validation With Paper-Pencil and Computerized Cognitive Composites.

BACKGROUND: As eye tracking-based assessment of cognition becomes more widely used in older adults, particularly those at risk for dementia, reliable and scalable methods to collect high-quality data are required. Eye tracking-based cognitive tests that utilize device-embedded cameras have the potential to reach large numbers of people as a screening tool for preclinical cognitive decline. However, to fully validate this approach, more empirical evidence about the comparability of eyetracking-based paradigms to existing cognitive batteries is needed. OBJECTIVE: Using a population of clinically normal older adults, we examined the relationship between a 30-minute Visual Paired Comparison (VPC) recognition memory task and cognitive composite indices sensitive to a subtle decline in domains associated with Alzheimer disease. Additionally, the scoring accuracy between software used with a commercial grade eye tracking camera at 60 frames per second (FPS) and a manually scored procedure used with a laptop-embedded web camera (3 FPS) on the VPC task was compared, as well as the relationship between VPC task performance and domain-specific cognitive function. METHODS: A group of 49 clinically normal older adults completed a 30-min VPC recognition memory task with simultaneous recording of eye movements by a commercial-grade eye-tracking camera and a laptop-embedded camera. Relationships between webcam VPC performance and the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite (PACC) and National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognitive Battery (NIHTB-CB) were examined. Inter-rater reliability for manually scored tests was analyzed using Krippendorff's kappa formula, and we used Spearman's Rho correlations to investigate the relationship between VPC performance scores with both cameras. We also examined the relationship between VPC performance with the device-embedded camera and domain-specific cognitive performance. RESULTS: Modest relationships were seen between mean VPC novelty preference and the PACC (r=.39, P=.007) and NIHTB-CB (r=.35, P=.03) composite scores, and additional individual neurocognitive task scores including letter fluency (r=.33, P=.02), category fluency (r=.36, P=.01), and Trail Making Test A (-.40, P=.006). Robust relationships were observed between the 60 FPS eye tracker and 3 FPS webcam on both trial-level VPC novelty preference (r=.82, P<.001) and overall mean VPC novelty preference (r=.92 P<.001). Inter-rater agreement of manually scored web camera data was high (kappa=.84). CONCLUSIONS: In a sample of clinically normal older adults, performance on a 30-minute VPC task correlated modestly with computerized and paper-pencil based cognitive composites that serve as preclinical Alzheimer disease cognitive indices. The strength of these relationships did not differ between camera devices. We suggest that using a device-embedded camera is a reliable and valid way to assess performance on VPC tasks accurately and that these tasks correlate with existing cognitive composites.

Evaluation of a digital diabetes prevention program adapted for the Medicaid population: Study design and methods for a non-randomized, controlled trial.

Previous studies have shown that lifestyle modification can successfully prevent or delay development of type 2 diabetes. This trial aimed to test if an underserved, low-income population would engage in a digital diabetes prevention program and successfully achieve lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes. Participants were recruited from three health care facilities serving low-income populations. The inclusion criteria were: a recent blood test indicating prediabetes, body mass index (BMI) > 24 kg/m2, age 18-75 years, not pregnant, not insured, Medicaid insured or Medicaid-eligible, internet or smartphone access, and comfort reading and writing in English or Spanish. A total of 230 participants were enrolled and started the intervention. Participants' average age was 48 years, average BMI = 34.8, average initial HbA1c = 5.8, 81% were female, and 45% were Spanish speaking. Eighty percent had Medicaid insurance, 18% were uninsured, and 2% were insured by a medical safety net plan. Participants completed a health assessment including measured anthropometrics, HbA1c test, and self-report questionnaires at baseline, 6 and 12 months. The 52-week digital diabetes prevention program included weekly educational curriculum, human health coaching, connected tracking tools, and peer support from a virtual group. Qualitative data on implementation was collected with semi-structured interviews with key informants to understand the barriers, keys to success, and best practices in the adoption of the program within the clinical setting. This paper describes the study design and methodology of a digital diabetes prevention program and early lessons learned related to recruitment, enrollment, and data collection.

The Impact of the Virtual Cognitive Health Program on the Cognition and Mental Health of Older Adults: Pre-Post 12-Month Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Face-to-face multidomain lifestyle interventions have shown to be effective for improving or maintaining cognitive function in older adults at risk for dementia. Remotely delivered interventions could increase access to such solutions but first require evidence to support that these programs can successfully impact health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a remotely delivered multidomain lifestyle intervention, the virtual cognitive health (VC Health) program, on the cognitive function and mental health of older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD). METHODS: A 52-week, prospective, single-arm, pre-post, remote nationwide clinical trial was conducted to measure the change in cognitive function, depression, and anxiety levels for older adults at risk of developing dementia who participated in the VC Health program. A Web-based study platform was used to screen, consent, and enroll participants across the United States. Participants completed the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) test and Web-based assessments (which included the Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9] and Generalized Anxiety Disorder [GAD-7] surveys) at baseline and weeks 12, 24, and 52; all data were collected remotely. Changes in RBANS, PHQ-9, and GAD-7 were assessed using 2-tailed paired t tests and nonparametric signed-rank tests. RESULTS: Participants (N=82) were, on average, aged 64 years (range 60.0-74.9 years), 74% (61/82) female, 88% (72/82) white, and 67% (55/82) had a college degree or higher. At baseline, participants had a mean and median RBANS Total Index score of 95.9 (SD 11.1) and 95.5 (interquartile range, IQR=13). Participants experienced a mean and median increase of 5.8 (SD 7.4) and 6 (IQR=11) in RBANS Total Index score from baseline to week 52 (P<.001). Participants had a mean and median PHQ-9 score of 8.5 (SD 4.9) and 8 (IQR=6) at baseline and experienced a mean and median decrease of 3.8 (SD 4.1) and 4 (IQR=6) units in PHQ-9 score from baseline to week 52 (P<.001). At baseline, participants had a mean and median GAD-7 score of 6.2 (SD 4.5) and 5.5 (IQR=6) and experienced a mean and median decrease of 2.9 (SD 4.1) and 2 (IQR=5) units in GAD-7 score from baseline to week 52 (P<.001). Participants were engaged and very satisfied with various program components. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, older adults with SCD who were at risk for dementia experienced statistically significant improvements in their cognitive function, depression, and anxiety levels. These findings serve as initial evidence for the overall feasibility and effectiveness of the VC Health program to improve or maintain cognitive function in older adults who are experiencing SCD. Further research should be conducted to understand the degree to which the improvements are attributable to specific components of the intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02969460; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02969460 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/73XOph9Qm).

Outcomes of a Digital Health Program With Human Coaching for Diabetes Risk Reduction in a Medicare Population.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the outcomes of a Medicare population who participated in a program combining digital health with human coaching for diabetes risk reduction. METHOD: People at risk for diabetes enrolled in a program combining digital health with human coaching. Participation and health outcomes were examined at 16 weeks and 6 and 12 months. RESULTS: A total of 501 participants enrolled; 92% completed at least nine of 16 core lessons. Participants averaged 19 of 31 possible opportunities for weekly program engagement. At 12 months, participants lost 7.5% ( SD = 7.8%) of initial body weight; among participants with clinical data, glucose control improved (glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c] change = -0.14%, p = .001) and total cholesterol decreased (-7.08 mg/dL, p = .008). Self-reported well-being, depression, and self-care improved ( p < .0001). DISCUSSION: This Medicare population demonstrated sustained program engagement and improved weight, health, and well-being. The findings support digital programs with human coaching for reducing chronic disease risk among older adults.

Evaluation of a Digital Behavioral Counseling Program for Reducing Risk Factors for Chronic Disease in a Workforce.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a digitally delivered, intensive behavioral counseling program for a workforce at risk for obesity-related chronic disease. METHODS: Employees were offered a digital health program modeled after the diabetes prevention program (DPP). Annual workforce health assessments were used to examine changes in chronic disease risk factors between participants (n = 634) relative to a matched comparison group (n = 1268). RESULTS: Overall, employees were gaining an average of 3.5 pounds annually before program inception. Program engagement was positive; 83% completed the majority of the curriculum and 31% lost at least 5% of their starting weight. Compared with non-participating peers, participants demonstrated reduced weight, improved fasting blood glucose, and improved nutritional intake after a year. CONCLUSIONS: The digital health program was effective for engaging employees in health behavior change. Digital options facilitate widespread implementation.