Project overview
Background
Dementia occurs in 6.5% of those aged over 65, and the number of sufferers will increase due to people living longer. Reduced functioning (‘cognitive impairment’) is more common - including Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Age Associated Cognitive decline (AACD) - and approximately 5% of these cases will progress to dementia annually. Intensive promotion of healthy behaviours (diet/physical activity) and cognitive exercises slow cognitive decline but use considerable staff resource.
Aim
To develop and test efficient internet-supported healthy behaviour/cognitive exercises to reduce cognitive decline among older age adults.
Workstream 1: participants with MCI or AACD.
A web-based intervention to promote healthy behaviours (physical activity and healthy eating) and engagement with cognitive exercises will be developed using a theory-, evidence- and person-based approach. We will then carry out a study of around 180 patients to ensure the intervention is likely to work and be acceptable to patients and health professionals. Following this we will carry out a larger study of 10940 participants. In this study we will allocate patients to one of three groups by random numbers (so patients will have an equal chance of being in any one of the three groups):
1) Control. Patients will receive brief advice about diet, physical activity and keeping the mind active;
2) Web only: in addition to the brief advice, participants will have access to an Internet-based healthy behaviour and cognitive exercise package;
3) As in 2 above but with support from a facilitator to use the Internet based healthy behaviour and cognitive exercise package (between 4 and 7 contacts for support in a year).
We will follow up patients in all groups, initially over 1 year, to see if their cognitive functioning improves and to talk to them about what part of the intervention worked well for them and what could have worked better for them. If the intervention works at 1 year we will request release of funds for long term (5 year) follow-up.
Workstream 2: participants with no cognitive impairment.
This will proceed in parallel with WS1 developing a similar intervention using the same processes, finishing in a similar sized trial of 10515 participants. Local Investigators: Professors Paul Little and Lucy Yardley
Contact: activebrainstrial@soton.ac.ukStudy team
Jane Somerville – Research Programme Manager
Victoria Hayter – Trial Manager
Kate Johnson – Senior Trial Administrator
This study is being conducted by the Primary Care Research Centre
Research themes
Supporting self-management
Content area
Long-term conditions
