One-Year Impact of a Multidomain Brain Health Intervention on Cognition and Behavior Change for Midlife and Older Adults: A Pilot Clinical Trial

Abstract

Objectives. At one-year follow-up, this study explored whether a multidomain brain-health intervention resulted in maintained behavior change, provided cognitive benefits, increased self-efficacy for behavior change, and whether participants intended to continue with these changes. Methods. One-hundred thirty midlife and older adults were assigned to one of three conditions: brain fitness (B-Fit) intervention utilizing education and goal setting, education-only, or waitlist control. Questionnaires and cognitive measures were administered. Results. Both B-Fit and education-only participants maintained increased levels of health behavior changes at follow-up testing. There were no clinically meaningful cognitive benefits nor impact on self-efficacy. B-Fit participants reported greater intention to increase health behaviors in the coming year compared to education-only. Discussion. The B-Fit intervention helped participants change their behaviors and maintain these changes over time; however, it was not more effective than the education-only condition. Although, B-Fit participants self-reported a greater likelihood to increase these behavior changes over time.