Study Overview

U.S. POINTER is a clinical trial to evaluate whether lifestyle interventions that simultaneously target multiple risk factors protect cognitive function in older adults (age 60-79) at increased risk for cognitive decline. It is the first such study to be conducted in a large group of U.S. residents.

Approximately 2,000 volunteer older adults who are at increased risk for dementia have been enrolled and will be followed for two years. Two lifestyle interventions will be compared, which vary in intensity and format. Eligible volunteers are randomly assigned to these interventions to evaluate whether cognitive benefits from a structured program differ from a self-guided program.

Lifestyle interventions combining multiple behavior components show promise as a therapeutic strategy to protect brain health. The two-year FINGER study reported that a combination of physical activity, nutritional guidance, cognitive training, social activities and management of heart-health risk factors protected cognition in healthy older adults with an increased risk of cognitive decline. No current pharmacological treatments rival this effect. There is an urgent need to expand this work to test the generalizability, adaptability and sustainability of the FINGER study's findings in geographically and culturally diverse populations worldwide.