Long-Term Effects of the Multicomponent Program BrainProtect^® on Cognitive Function: One-Year Follow-Up in Healthy...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Age-related cognitive decline impacts health and quality of life.
• Preventing cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease is a significant public health concern.
• The optimal strategy for cognitive preservation remains under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term cognitive effects of the BrainProtect multicomponent training program.
• To compare BrainProtect's efficacy against general health counseling (GHC) in healthy older adults.
• To assess cognitive abilities and health-related quality of life 3 and 12 months post-intervention.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving cognitively healthy adults aged 50 years and older.
• Participants were assigned to either an 8-week BrainProtect program or GHC.
• Neuropsychological testing and HRQoL assessments were conducted post-intervention.

Main Results:

• No significant long-term effect on the primary CERAD-Plus score was observed.
• Logical reasoning significantly improved in the BrainProtect group at 12 months post-intervention (p=0.024).
• Improvements in thinking flexibility and naming were noted at 3 months but lost statistical significance after adjustment.

Conclusions:

• BrainProtect demonstrated an independent improvement in logical reasoning up to 12 months post-training in healthy adults.
• Larger sample sizes and more frequent follow-ups are required to determine the clinical significance of multicomponent cognitive training.
• Cognitive training may offer a viable strategy for maintaining cognitive function in aging populations.