The University of South Florida and healthy older adult volunteers from the Sarasota area will play an increasingly crucial role in the landmark Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT) study. This study, funded by the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, examines whether computerized brain training exercises can reduce the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. Additional funding awarded earlier this year will provide PACT study participants with an option to provide blood samples that will be used to develop tests for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. This is the largest study of its kind to date, investigating not only how to possibly prevent dementia but also how to detect it earlier.

USF’s PACT study expansion to Sarasota will increase our expected study enrollment from 2,354 to 3,567 over the next two years. To qualify, participants must be 65 or older with no signs of cognitive impairment or dementia. There is an emphasis on the need for African-American/Black and Hispanic study volunteers. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, these populations are at the highest risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

“We are excited for the opportunity to launch PACT in Sarasota. We are seeking another 1,213 healthy older adults to volunteer for this important study. We are grateful for the 2,354 volunteers in the Tampa Bay region and beyond who have already joined our fight against Alzheimer’s disease by enrolling in PACT. The scientific contributions made possible by our PACT volunteers have the potential to positively impact our lives and the lives of future generations,” said Brianne Stanback, PhD, research assistant professor in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and director of Community Engagement for PACT.

Those interested in the study may participate at USF Sarasota-Manatee, Tampa, or St. Petersburg campuses or at Reliance Medical in Lakeland or Winter Haven. Participants may also join the study at University of Florida in Gainesville or Jacksonville, University of North Florida, Clemson University in Seneca or Greenville, SC, or Duke University in Durham, NC.

PACT participants will be asked to initially come to two in-person study visits. They will then complete 45 computerized training exercises in their own home or they may choose to complete activities at a study site. Participants will be asked to return about three years later for a third study visit.

More information is available at the PACT study website, pactstudy.org, or by calling (941) 500-4447.

The PACT study is supported by the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant number R01AG070349. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Tampa FL (June 8, 2022) – The University of South Florida received $3.2 million from the National Institute on Aging to investigate if Alzheimer’s disease can be detected early through simple blood tests.

The new funding dovetails with a $44.4 million, five-year NIH grant awarded to USF last year testing whether computerized braining training can reduce dementia risk in older adults. Called the Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT) study, it is the largest primary prevention trial to date designed to rigorously test the effectiveness of computer-based training to protect against MCI and dementias.

Participants enrolling in the PACT study can also enroll in the study investigating whether a simple blood test can detect dementia. The PACT study will work with the National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias to analyze blood samples collected from study participants.

“We need another 2000 healthy older adults to volunteer for the PACT study. We are very grateful to the 1800 volunteers from Tampa Bay who have already joined our fight against Alzheimer’s disease by enrolling in PACT.” said principal investigator Jerri Edwards, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “Participants will now not only be contributing to our work on how to possibly prevent dementia, but also advancing efforts to develop blood tests for early detection of the disease.”

Jerri Edwards, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, is USF site principal investigator for the PACT study.

Currently, diagnosing dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease requires expensive PET scans or invasive cerebrospinal fluid samples. This new study will contribute to research working toward developing simple blood tests to improve existing methods.

Launched last year, the PACT study continues to recruit participants, seeking healthy older adults to volunteer for the landmark study examining whether computerized brain training exercises can reduce the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. PACT study volunteers should be age 65 or older with no signs of cognitive impairment or dementia. Those accepted into the study will participate in initial testing at a PACT location at the USF Tampa or St. Petersburg campuses or at Reliance Medical in Lakeland. The PACT study is also being conducted by partner sites at Clemson University, University of Florida, University of North Florida, and Duke University.

The USF PACT study concentrates on the effectiveness of computerized programs, or brain games, for preventing dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. These computerized training exercises are designed to potentially enhance mental quickness and visual attention. At the end of the trial, the scientists will examine the blood samples from willing participants and determine which specific blood-based biomarkers predict Alzheimer’s disease, the severity of the disease, and/or responsiveness to treatment.

The PACT study is supported by the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant number R01AG070349. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

More information is available at the PACT study website, pactstudy.org, or by calling 813-974-6703.

TAMPA, Fla. (April 6, 2021) — The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded the University of South Florida (USF) total expected funds of $44.4 million over the next five years to study whether computerized brain training exercises can reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementias like Alzheimer’s disease, in older adults.

The grant from the NIH’s National Institute on Aging, supported under Award Number R01AG070349, expands USF’s Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT) study. PACT will be the largest primary prevention trial to date designed to rigorously test the effectiveness of computer-based training to protect against MCI and dementias. Dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease leads to a loss in thinking, reasoning, memory, and everyday functional abilities.

“We are grateful for the willingness of the Tampa Bay community to support our efforts to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia by participating in the PACT trial,” said USF site principal investigator Jerri Edwards, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “Because of their willingness to join us in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, we can now expand this trial across the U.S. with hope of ultimately reducing dementia incidence.”

No proven treatments yet exist to cure or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. Dementia prevention research like that done by Dr. Edwards and her team takes on increased urgency, because the few Alzheimer’s medications currently on the market primarily provide short-term management of symptoms for those who already have dementia. Alzheimer’s disease afflicts 5.8 million Americans, including one in every 10 people age 65 and older, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Without effective interventions, the human and economic costs for those living with dementia, their caregivers, and the health care system will continue to rise as the population ages.

“If we can reduce the chances of progressing to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias with a cognitive training regimen – an inexpensive and safe non-drug intervention – that would be a huge public health advance,” Dr. Edwards said. “Research suggests that delaying the onset of dementia by even one year would result in millions of fewer cases over the next 30 years.”

Jerri Edwards, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, is  USF site principal investigator for the PACT study.

The multisite trial is expected to expand the study to enroll 7,600 healthy adults at various US locations who are ages 65 and older with no signs of cognitive impairment or dementia. People with mild cognitive impairment experience more memory problems than expected for those the same age. MCI can increase the risk for dementia. Within two years, Dr. Edwards said, about 15% of people with MCI progress to dementia with more serious cognitive decline that interferes with everyday tasks, such as preparing a meal, doing laundry, or driving.

Published research by Dr. Edwards and others indicates that targeted computerized training can help maintain mental and physical function. In the breakthrough Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study, healthy older adults randomized to receive such training had a 29% lower risk of dementia after 10 years than the untreated control group. Those completing additional training benefited even more; they were 48% less likely to show signs of dementia 10 years later.

“As an academic medical center with a growing Neuroscience Institute and well-established Byrd Alzheimer’s Center, USF Health is at the forefront of the latest research attacking Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias on multiple fronts,” said Charles J. Lockwood, MD, senior vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “This pivotal study, based on compelling preliminary evidence, moves us one step closer to answering a critical question: Can computer-based cognitive training prevent dementia and help keep our brains healthy as we age?”

With the PACT study, Dr. Edwards’ team seeks more conclusive evidence about whether and how computerized training can protect against age-related cognitive impairment and dementia. The researchers will identify through comprehensive medical evaluation any study participants who develop MCI or dementia three years after enrollment in the PACT study. They will use brain scans to diagnose dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease and to see if those with amyloid protein in the brain (a hallmark protein of the neurodegenerative disease) benefit from the training.

Dr. Edwards emphasizes the need for more African-American and Hispanic/Latino study volunteers as the Alzheimer’s Association reports they are populations at highest risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

USF Health expects to continue enrolling participants across the Tampa Bay region in the PACT study over the next three years. Study participants cannot have dementia or other neurological disorders, but a family history of Alzheimer’s disease does not disqualify an otherwise healthy person. Two initial supervised training sessions will be conducted onsite (with strict adherence to CDC guidelines for COVID-19), and study participants will complete the remaining brain training sessions independently at home over the next two years.

For more information, please visit the PACT study website at pactstudy.org or call (813) 974-6703.

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First-of-its-kind primary prevention trial needs more older adults to help researchers determine if a specific type of computer training can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkXdzI9jGI0

The University of South Florida’s Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT) study continues to seek participants for this first-of-its-kind primary prevention trial.  Funded by a $2.7 million National Institutes of Health grant, the study is examining whether a specific type of computerized brain training can reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment, and dementias like Alzheimer’s disease, in older adults.

The Tampa Bay area has three PACT study training sites, one each in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Polk counties. For more information on site locations and phone numbers, please visit: pactstudy.org/tampa-bay/

Prevention research takes on increased urgency in the wake of recent failures of investigational Alzheimer’s drugs from major pharmaceutical companies to halt brain degeneration.

Research assistant Dorothy St. Pierre, center, chats with a PACT study participant Twyla Sampson in the USF Cognitive Aging Lab.

“Much of what we know about Alzheimer’s disease indicates that early intervention is absolutely critical,” said USF’s Aryn Harrison Bush, PhD, PACT study co-investigator who oversees the Polk County site. “Compelling preliminary evidence has shown that the specific form of adaptive, computer-based cognitive training we are studying decreased the risk of dementia by 29% to 48% compared to older adults who received no training.”

The researchers hope to enroll a total of 1,600 healthy adults age 65 or older, in Tampa Bay and Michigan.  Study participants cannot have dementia or other neurological disorders, but a family history of Alzheimer’s does not disqualify a person. They must commit to three initial visits at the training site, and then complete the remaining brain training sessions independently at home.

Lakeland PACT study participant John Peronto, 71, is the primary caregiver for his wife of 41 years Sue Peronto, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2013.  The once vibrant woman, now bedridden, struggles to communicate. But Sue still recognizes and calls her husband by name, and John affectionately refers to his wife as “my Susie Q.”

“I became interested in this study because I’ve seen what this awful disease has done to my wife,” Peronto said. “I’m hoping it expands the knowledge about whether this type of cognitive training can help prevent or slow Alzheimer’s.  Right now only a few drugs are on the market, and all they do is provide some short-term relief of symptoms.”

The researchers hope to recruit a total of 1,600 volunteers — a diverse population of healthy adults age 65 or older — to test whether a specific type of computer brain exercises can reduce the risk of decline in cognitive abilities like thinking, remembering and reasoning.

The USF researchers want to broaden the scientific studies to a more diverse population than ever before to evaluate “whether it’s feasible and effective to ‘prescribe’ such brain training exercises at home,” said Jennifer Lister, PhD, PACT study co-investigator. “We’re enthusiastic about bringing the opportunity to participate in Alzheimer’s prevention research to our community.”

Principal investigator Jerri Edwards, PhD, emphasized the need for African-American and Latino volunteers as the Alzheimer’s Association reports they are populations at highest risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

-Video and photos by Allison Long, USF Health Communications and Marketing

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkXdzI9jGI0

The University of South Florida’s Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT) study has added new training sites in Polk and Pasco counties.  This first-of-its-kind primary prevention trial, funded by a $2.7 million National Institutes of Health grant, is examining whether a specific type of computerized brain training can reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment, and dementias like Alzheimer’s disease, in older adults.

USF researchers and community leaders will gather for ribbon-cutting ceremonies at the official openings of the two newest brain training facilities:

• Polk County PACT study site: Thursday, May 9, 11 a.m., at 2225 E. Edgewood Drive, Suite #14, Lakeland, Fla. 33903. Lakeland Mayor Bill Munz will be among the speakers.
• Pasco County PACT study site: Wednesday, May 15, 5:30 p.m., at 14350 7^th Street, Dade City, Fla. 33525. Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez will be one of the speakers.

The clinical trial expansion means that the Tampa Bay area now has four PACT training sites:  USF Tampa and USF St. Petersburg, as well as in Lakeland and Dade City.  Co-lead investigators of the collaborative PACT study are Jerri Edwards, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, and David Morgan, PhD, of the University of Michigan.

Prevention research takes on increased urgency in the wake of recent failures of investigational Alzheimer’s drugs from major pharmaceutical companies to halt brain degeneration.

Research assistant Dorothy St. Pierre, center, chats with a PACT study participant Twyla Sampson in the USF Cognitive Aging Lab.

“Much of what we know about Alzheimer’s disease indicates that early intervention is absolutely critical,” said USF’s Aryn Harrison Bush, PhD, PACT study co-investigator who oversees the Polk County site. “Compelling preliminary evidence has shown that the specific form of adaptive, computer-based cognitive training we are studying decreased the risk of dementia by 29% to 48% compared to older adults who received no training.”

The researchers hope to enroll a total of 1,600 healthy adults age 65 or older, in Tampa Bay and Michigan.  Study participants cannot have dementia or other neurological disorders, but a family history of Alzheimer’s does not disqualify a person. They must commit to three initial visits at the training site, and then complete the remaining brain training sessions independently at home.

Lakeland PACT study participant John Peronto, 71, is the primary caregiver for his wife of 41years Sue Peronto, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2013.  The once vibrant woman, now bedridden, struggles to communicate. But Sue still recognizes and calls her husband by name, and John affectionately refers to his wife as “my Susie Q.”

“I became interested in this study because I’ve seen what this awful disease has done to my wife,” Peronto said. “I’m hoping it expands the knowledge about whether this type of cognitive training can help prevent or slow Alzheimer’s.  Right now only a few drugs are on the market, and all they do is provide some short-term relief of symptoms.”

The USF researchers want to broaden the scientific studies to a more diverse population than ever before to evaluate “whether it’s feasible and effective to ‘prescribe’ such brain training exercises at home,” said Jennifer Lister, PhD, PACT study co-investigator who oversees the Pasco County site. “We’re enthusiastic about bringing the opportunity to participate in Alzheimer’s prevention research to our community.”

The researchers hope to recruit a total of 1,600 volunteers — a diverse population  of healthy adults age 65 or older — to test whether a specific type of computer brain exercises can reduce the risk of decline in cognitive abilities like thinking, remembering and reasoning.

An estimated 5.8 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease.  The Alzheimer’s Association projects that number will rise to nearly 14 million by 2050.

For more information about the prevention trial, visit www.pactstudy.org, or call the USF Cognitive Aging Lab at (813) 974-6703.

-Video and photos by Allison Long, USF Health Communications and Marketing

USF Health’s Jerri Edwards, PhD, recently ranked #8 among National Institute of Health-funded principal investigators in Psychiatry by the 2018 Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research Rankings, with funding of $4,602,776.

Dr. Edwards, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, was ranked among 1,170 principal investigators in Departments of Psychiatry nationwide.  She is nationally recognized for her research examining the effectiveness of computerized cognitive training in preventing or delaying Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, as well as normal age-related cognitive decline. She also studies how music training may improve cognitive abilities — such as thinking, remembering and reasoning — in older adults who are non-musicians.

Jerri Edwards, PhD

Dr. Edwards is the co-principal investigator for a new $2.7 million randomized controlled clinical trial known as Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training, or the PACT study, which is funded by the NIH’s National Institute on Aging.  USF is conducting this first-of-its kind, large primary prevention trial with Michigan State University (David Morgan, PhD, co-principal investigator).  The researchers are examining whether a specific regimen of computer brain exercises can significantly reduce the risk of cognitive decline, or dementias like Alzheimer’s disease, in a healthy, diverse population of adults age 65 or older.

The PACT study builds upon previously published research by Dr. Edwards and others indicating that computerized brain training targeting specific cognitive functions and challenging older adults to adapt their performance over time can help maintain mental and physical function. In the case of the 2017 Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study, such training even reduced the risk of dementia. Conclusive evidence about whether and how brain training can protect against Alzheimer’s-related cognitive impairment is still needed.

Prevention research takes on increased urgency in the wake of recent failures of investigational Alzheimer’s drugs from major pharmaceutical companies to halt brain degeneration.

For more information on the PACT study go to www.pactstudy.org or call the USF Cognitive Aging Lab at (813) 974-6703.

Jan. 29, 2019 – What if solving brain games and puzzles on a computer could reduce the chances of developing dementia such as Alzheimer’s or delay the debilitating loss of function associated with the disease?

That’s the question researchers from the University of South Florida (USF) are seeking to answer through a pioneering new study that will test a training regimen designed to improve brain function. Using a $2.7-million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the researchers are developing a clinical trial for up to 1,600 older adults, who will learn a mental exercise routine focused on processing information to target cognitive improvements over time.

“This is a large primary prevention trial to examine if computerized cognitive exercises will reduce the risk of dementia,” said Elizabeth Hudak, PhD, research assistant professor at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine (MCOM). “It is the first-of-its-kind study that will train adults on these exercises.”

As one ages, cognitive functions associated with thinking and memory can decline. Dementia is a general term for a decline that interferes with daily life, and Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia.

An estimated 5.7 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s today. By 2050, the number is projected to rise to nearly 14 million, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

The primary investigators of the new study “Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease with Cognitive Training” are Jerri Edwards, PhD, of the MCOM Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences and David Morgan, PhD, of Michigan State University. They will oversee four training facilities, three in Tampa Bay and one in Michigan, which will each host up to 400 older adults.

One of the training sites will be located on the campus of USF St. Petersburg (USFSP).

“What we have learned is that the types of activities people do as they age really matter,” said Jennifer O’Brien, PhD, assistant professor of psychology who will supervise data collection and analysis at USFSP. “Those that target these cognitive functions that continue to challenge a person and adapt with performance across time are beneficial to improving quality of life.”

The clinical trial at USF will consist of a variety of brain games on a computer in which participants are asked to indicate what they saw or heard and solve puzzles. Each participant will visit a training facility three times to learn how to follow the mental regimen. Over three years, they will complete a total of 45 hours of computerized training exercises on their own. Researchers will then monitor for cognitive improvements or signs of decline.

Prior studies have shown such training is an effective way to reduce chances of developing dementia. In 2017, findings from the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study showed that among nearly 3,000 healthy older adults, those who completed 11 or more computerized sessions were up to 48 percent less likely to develop dementia across a 10-year period than adults who did no exercises at all.

“Cognitive training enhances mental quickness and visual attention, improves gait speed and balance, promotes safer and prolonged driving mobility and maintains health and well-being, including protection against depression,” said Alisa Houseknecht, coordinator of the clinical trial at USF.

The researchers will recruit adults age 65 and older who are willing to commit to the exercise training and are not experiencing dementia or other forms of neurological disease. A family history of Alzheimer’s does not disqualify a person.

Ultimately, researchers hope this short-term study will show enough feasibility for a longer, more rigorous clinical trial in the future. If the researchers can enroll 1,600 older adults in the trial, the research team will apply for a larger grant to train and monitor a cohort of participants for five to seven years. For the follow-up study, neuroimaging of the brain and genetic testing will be incorporated to get a better understanding of which individuals are more likely to develop dementia and would benefit from this training.

“We will be looking across time to see who ends up with dementia and who does not,” O’Brien said. “We estimate that even if this intervention delays onset of dementia by only one year, that would be 9.2 million fewer cases across the next 30 years.”

For more information about the clinical trial, visit: www.pactstudy.org or call the Cognitive Aging Lab at 813-974-6703.

10-year study led by USF’s Jerri Edwards concludes computerized brain training program reduces risk of dementia 29 percent

TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 16, 2017) — Computerized brain training is now the first intervention of any kind to reduce the risk of dementia among older adults. The breakthrough results from a randomized controlled trial were just published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions. The article, “Speed of Processing Training Results in Lower Risk of Dementia,” reports on the latest findings from the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Jerri Edwards, PhD

“Speed of processing training resulted in decreased risk of dementia across the 10-year period of, on average, 29 percent as compared to the control,” said lead author Jerri Edwards, PhD, of the University of South Florida Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences and College of Community and Behavioral Sciences. “When we examined the dose-response, we found that those who trained more received more protective benefit.”

The ACTIVE Study enrolled 2,802 healthy older adults at six sites around the United States and followed them for 10 years (as they aged from an average of 74 to 84). Participants were randomized into a control group or one of three intervention arms using different types of cognitive training: 1) a group receiving instruction on memory strategies; 2) a group receiving instruction on reasoning strategies; and 3) a group receiving individualized computerized speed of processing training. Participants in the cognitive training groups were offered 10 initial sessions of training (60-75 minutes per session) which was conducted over the first six weeks of the study.

All participants were assessed on a number of cognitive and functional measures at the beginning of the study, after the first six weeks, and at 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 years. Subsets of each intervention group also received four additional “booster” training sessions in months 11 and 35 of the study. Researchers found no significant difference in risk of dementia for the strategy-based memory or reasoning training groups, as compared to the control group. However, as compared to the control group, the computerized speed training group showed significantly less risk of dementia – averaging a 29 percent risk reduction.

When reviewing the impact of each computerized speed training session completed, researchers found those who completed more sessions had lower risk. Among those who completed 15 or more sessions across all three intervention groups, the risk of dementia for the computerized speed training group was lowest at 5.9 percent, as compared to 9.7 percent and 10.1 percent for the memory and reasoning groups, respectively. The control group, which did not engage in any training, had a dementia incidence rate of 10.8 percent.

Participants in the computerized speed training group were trained on a highly specific task designed to improve the speed and accuracy of visual attention, including both divided and selective attention exercises. To perform the divided attention training task, a user identified an object (i.e., car or truck) at the center of gaze while at the same time locating a target in the periphery (i.e., car). As the user got the answers correct, the speed of presentation becomes progressively briefer, while the targets become more similar. In the more difficult training tasks, the target in the periphery is obscured by distracting objects, engaging selective attention.

A computerized brain training exercise like that found on BrainHQ.com pushes a user to progressively improve visual speed of processing, with attentional demands both at the center of gaze and periphery.

There is substantial prior scientific literature on this training exercise, which is referred to as “speed of processing training,” “useful field of view training,” or “UFOV training.” The exercise was developed by Dr. Karlene Ball of the University of Alabama Birmingham and Dr. Dan Roenker of Western Kentucky University. It is now exclusively licensed to Posit Science Corporation, and is available as the “Double Decision” exercise of the BrainHQ.com brain training program. |

The paper notes that this particular type of computerized brain training, as updated by its inventors and Posit Science over the years, has previously been shown effective across more than 18 clinical trials in older adults on standard measures of cognitive abilities (e.g., speed of processing and attention) and functional abilities (e.g., maintaining the ability to live independently, depressive symptoms, feelings of control, and health-related quality of life), as well as in real world activities (e.g., driving safety, balance and gait).

“We need to further delineate what makes some computerized cognitive training effective, while other types are not,” said Dr. Edwards. “We also need to investigate what is the appropriate amount of training to get the best results. The timing of intervention is also important. Existing data indicate speed training is effective among older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment, but it is important to understand this is preventative to lower risk of dementia and is not a treatment for dementia. Our ongoing research is examining this intervention among persons with Parkinson’s disease as well as other types of cognitive interventions.”

The preliminary results reported at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference were confirmed in this report. However, to be more conservative, the publication used a narrower definition of dementia.

The article “Speed of Processing Training Results in Lower Risk of Dementia” reflects the ACTIVE study’s conclusion based on three criteria for dementia: cognitive and functional impairment, outcome of the Mini–Mental State Examination (MMSE) and/or diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease as reported by the participant or a relative of the participant. The risk reduction from randomization to speed training ranged from 29 to 33 percent, depending on how dementia was defined.

Older adults interested in participating in similar research can contact the USF Cognitive Aging Laboratory at 813-974-6703.

Watch a demonstration of the speed of processing exercise “Double Decision,” licensed by Posit Science.

Older adults who completed 11 or more sessions of training had a 48 percent reduced risk of dementia over the 10-year study period, a University of South Florida researcher finds

 TAMPA, Fla. (July 25, 2016) – A particular type of brain training can significantly and substantially reduce risk for dementia, said University of South Florida (USF) associate professor Jerri Edwards, PhD, in a presentation made yesterday in Toronto, Canada, at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.

“This is the first time a cognitive intervention has been shown to protect against dementia in a large, randomized, controlled trial,” said Dr. Edwards, a faculty member in the USF School of Aging Studies and an associate member of the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute. “Relatively small amounts of training resulted in up to a 48 percent decrease in the risk of dementia over the 10-year study period.”

Dr. Edwards reported on the latest results from the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study, a 10-year study on cognition and aging funded by the National Institute on Aging.

Jerri Edwards, PhD, an associate professor at the USF School of Aging Studies and associate member of the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute, studies cognitive performance, including how quickly the brain can process information and act on it.

The ACTIVE Study enrolled 2,802 healthy older adults at six sites around the United States, and randomized the participants into four groups: 1) an intervention group receiving 10 one-hour sessions of classroom instruction on memory strategies; 2) an intervention group receiving the same amount of instruction on reasoning strategies; 3) an intervention group receiving the same amount of computerized brain training, involving perceptual practice and; 4) a control group measured at the same times as the intervention groups.

All participants were assessed on a number of cognitive and functional measures at the completion of the initial 10 sessions of training (after five weeks) and at follow-up visits at years one, two, three, five and 10. Subsets of each intervention group also received four additional “booster” training sessions at years one and three. In releasing the current results, the researchers looked at the risk of developing dementia over the 10-year period across all four groups.

Researchers found no significant difference in risk of dementia for the strategy-based memory or reasoning training groups as compared to the control group. However, as compared to the control group, the computerized brain training group were 33 less likely to develop dementia across 10 years, a statistically significant difference (p=0.012).

The researchers further saw a significant dose-response function. After adjusting for other variables indicating risk for dementia (e.g., race, sex, mental status, physical status, depressive symptoms), participants who engaged in 11 or more sessions of the computerized brain training showed a 48 percent reduction risk of dementia as compared to the control group (p=.005).

Participants in the computerized brain training group were trained on a highly specific task designed to improve the speed and accuracy of visual attention, including both divided and selective attention exercises. To perform the divided attention training task, a user identifies an object at the center (i.e., car or truck) of gaze while at the same time locating a target in the periphery (i.e., car). As the user gets the answers correct, the speed of presentation becomes progressively briefer, while the targets become more similar. In the more difficult training tasks, the target in the periphery is obscured by distracting objects, engaging selective attention.

A brain training exercise like that found on BrainHQ.com pushes a user to progressively improve visual speed of processing, with attentional demands both at the center of gaze and periphery.

There is substantial prior scientific literature on this training exercise, which is referred to as “speed of processing training”, “useful field of view training”, or “UFOV training.” The exercise was developed by Dr. Karlene Ball of the University of Alabama Birmingham and Dr. Dan Roenker of Western Kentucky University. It is now exclusively licensed to Posit Science Corporation, and is available as the “Double Decision” exercise of the BrainHQ.com brain training program.

Dr. Edwards noted that this particular training regimen has previously been shown effective in multiple clinical trials and, unlike other approaches, has been found to improve the everyday functional abilities of older adults. “These new data”, she said, “further demonstrate the longitudinal benefit of reducing risk of dementia.”

The benefits of the program are believed to be driven by engaging brain plasticity in a way that improves attention and up-regulates the chemical (neuromodulatory) system.

“We need to further delineate what makes some computerized cognitive training effective, while other types are not,” Dr. Edwards said. “We also need to investigate what is the appropriate amount of training to get the best results, Given that 10 to 14 sessions had these benefits, what would the effects of larger doses be? “

“Clearly, the time spent on effective brain training has potential long-lasting benefits for many aspects of older adults’ lives,” she concluded.

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The University of South Florida is a high-impact, global research university dedicated to student success. USF is a Top 50 research university among both public and private institutions nationwide in total research expenditures, according to the National Science Foundation. Serving nearly 48,000 students, the USF System has an annual budget of $1.5 billion and an annual economic impact of $4.4 billion. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference.

Media contact:
Shani Fails, M.A., Director, Communications & Marketing
USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute
sfails@health.usf.edu or 813-396-0675