A new clinical trial published in JAMA found that structured lifestyle changes can improve cognitive capabilities in older, at-risk adults. The US POINTER study involved 2,100 participants aged 60-79 who were sedentary and at risk for dementia due to health issues such as prediabetes and high blood pressure.
Half of the participants received a structured program with aerobic exercise, cognitive training, and adherence to the Mediterranean-DASH diet, while the other half followed a self-guided program. Both groups showed improvement in cognitive scores, but those in the structured group had slightly better results.
Researchers estimate that this group delayed cognitive aging by an extra one to two years compared to the self-guided group. The study suggests that paying attention to physical activity, diet, and vascular risk factors can help maintain brain health.
Experts emphasize the need for further research and caution that more studies are needed to fully understand the results. However, the findings do support the idea that lifestyle changes can have a significant impact on cognitive decline in older adults.
Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cognitive-decline-can-be-slowed-down-with-lifestyle-changes-from-diet-to-exercise-and-social-time-new-study-suggests-180987077