Combating Alzheimer's through sleep and exercise (CASE): A study protocol

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Public Health

Background:

• Dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD), affects millions globally, necessitating preventive strategies targeting modifiable risk factors.
• Behavioral interventions like sleep improvement and physical activity show independent benefits for cognition and health, but their combined effects and scalable delivery are underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of sleep improvement, physical activity, and combined interventions on cognitive performance and biomarkers of brain and cardiometabolic health.
• To examine the potential synergistic effects of combined sleep and exercise interventions.
• To explore the role of light exposure in modulating sleep parameters.

Main Methods:

• An 8-week, three-arm randomized controlled trial involving 60 adults aged 55-80 with or without mild cognitive impairment.
• Interventions included exercise-only, sleep-only, or combined sleep-plus-exercise programs, delivered in-person and/or digitally.
• Cognitive function was assessed using the Digital Neuro-Signature Platform; plasma biomarkers measured cardiometabolic and AD-related neuropathology.

Main Results:

• This study is hypothesis-generating and exploratory; specific results are pending.
• The trial aims to gather data on the association between sleep metrics, cognitive performance, and health biomarkers.
• It will also assess the impact of exercise and combined interventions on these outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Findings will inform larger trials on scalable, digital interventions for modifiable Alzheimer's disease risk factors.
• This research could lead to novel, integrated approaches for dementia prevention.
• The study highlights the potential of combining behavioral strategies for enhanced cognitive and brain health benefits.