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The active brains digital intervention to reduce cognitive decline in older adults: protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial (Preprint)

The active brains digital intervention to reduce cognitive decline in older adults: protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial (Preprint)
The active brains digital intervention to reduce cognitive decline in older adults: protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial (Preprint)
Background:
Increasing physical activity, improving diet and doing 'brain training' exercises are associated with reduced cognitive decline in older adults. Here we describe a feasibility trial of the Active Brains intervention, an online digital intervention developed to support older adults to make these three healthy behaviour changes associated with cognitive health.

Objective:
The Active Brains trial is a randomised feasibility trial that will test how accessible, acceptable and feasible the Active Brains intervention is and the effectiveness of the study procedures that we plan to use in our larger main trial.

Methods:
We will be trialling the intervention with two populations: 1) older adults with signs of cognitive decline, 2) older adults without any cognitive decline. Trial participants will be randomly allocated to one of three study groups: 1) usual care or 2) the Active Brains intervention, or 3) the Active Brains website plus brief support from a trained coach (over the phone or by email). The main outcomes are performance on cognitive tasks, Quality of Life (using EQ-5D-5L), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and diagnoses of dementia. Secondary outcomes (including depression, enablement and healthcare costs) and process measures (including qualitative interviews with participants and supporters) will also be collected.

Results:
Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences and shared at public engagement events.

Conclusions:
The findings of this study will help us to identify and make important changes to the website, the support received or the study procedures before we progress to our main randomized phase III trial. Clinical Trial: Trial registration number: ISRCTN 23758980
Smith, Kirsten Ailsa
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Bradbury, Katherine
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Essery, Rosie
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Pollet, Sebastien
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Mowbray, Fiona
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Slodkowska-Barabasz, Joanna
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Denison-Day, James
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Hayter, Victoria
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Kelly, Jo
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Somerville, Jane
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Zhang, Jin
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Grey, Elisabeth
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Western, Max
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Ferrey, Anne E
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Krusche, Adele
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Stuart, Beth
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Mutrie, Nanette
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Robinson, Sian
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Yao, Guiqing Lily
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Griffiths, Gareth
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Robinson, Louise
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Rossor, Martin
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Gallacher, John
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Griffin, Simon
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Kendrick, Tony
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Rathod, Shanaya
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Gudgin, Bernard
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Phillips, Rosemary
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Stokes, Tom
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Niven, John
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Little, Paul
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Yardley, Lucy
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Smith, Kirsten Ailsa
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Bradbury, Katherine
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Essery, Rosie
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Pollet, Sebastien
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Mowbray, Fiona
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Slodkowska-Barabasz, Joanna
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Denison-Day, James
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Hayter, Victoria
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Kelly, Jo
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Somerville, Jane
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Zhang, Jin
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Grey, Elisabeth
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Western, Max
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Ferrey, Anne E
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Krusche, Adele
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Stuart, Beth
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Mutrie, Nanette
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Robinson, Sian
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Yao, Guiqing Lily
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Griffiths, Gareth
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Robinson, Louise
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Rossor, Martin
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Gallacher, John
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Griffin, Simon
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Kendrick, Tony
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Rathod, Shanaya
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Gudgin, Bernard
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Phillips, Rosemary
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Stokes, Tom
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Niven, John
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Little, Paul
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Yardley, Lucy
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Smith, Kirsten Ailsa, Bradbury, Katherine, Essery, Rosie, Pollet, Sebastien, Mowbray, Fiona, Slodkowska-Barabasz, Joanna, Denison-Day, James, Hayter, Victoria, Kelly, Jo, Somerville, Jane, Zhang, Jin, Grey, Elisabeth, Western, Max, Ferrey, Anne E, Krusche, Adele, Stuart, Beth, Mutrie, Nanette, Robinson, Sian, Yao, Guiqing Lily, Griffiths, Gareth, Robinson, Louise, Rossor, Martin, Gallacher, John, Griffin, Simon, Kendrick, Tony, Rathod, Shanaya, Gudgin, Bernard, Phillips, Rosemary, Stokes, Tom, Niven, John, Little, Paul and Yardley, Lucy (2020) The active brains digital intervention to reduce cognitive decline in older adults: protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial (Preprint). (doi:10.2196/preprints.18929). (In Press)

Record type: Other

Abstract

Background:
Increasing physical activity, improving diet and doing 'brain training' exercises are associated with reduced cognitive decline in older adults. Here we describe a feasibility trial of the Active Brains intervention, an online digital intervention developed to support older adults to make these three healthy behaviour changes associated with cognitive health.

Objective:
The Active Brains trial is a randomised feasibility trial that will test how accessible, acceptable and feasible the Active Brains intervention is and the effectiveness of the study procedures that we plan to use in our larger main trial.

Methods:
We will be trialling the intervention with two populations: 1) older adults with signs of cognitive decline, 2) older adults without any cognitive decline. Trial participants will be randomly allocated to one of three study groups: 1) usual care or 2) the Active Brains intervention, or 3) the Active Brains website plus brief support from a trained coach (over the phone or by email). The main outcomes are performance on cognitive tasks, Quality of Life (using EQ-5D-5L), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and diagnoses of dementia. Secondary outcomes (including depression, enablement and healthcare costs) and process measures (including qualitative interviews with participants and supporters) will also be collected.

Results:
Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences and shared at public engagement events.

Conclusions:
The findings of this study will help us to identify and make important changes to the website, the support received or the study procedures before we progress to our main randomized phase III trial. Clinical Trial: Trial registration number: ISRCTN 23758980

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 16 August 2020

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 510337
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/510337
PURE UUID: 0f59d0ec-10d5-4e32-af11-ae81258f2305
ORCID for Katherine Bradbury: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5513-7571
ORCID for Rosie Essery: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-2702-6951
ORCID for Sebastien Pollet: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-9924-9225
ORCID for Fiona Mowbray: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3297-4163
ORCID for James Denison-Day: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0223-0005
ORCID for Jin Zhang: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-9583-6000
ORCID for Sian Robinson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1766-7269
ORCID for Gareth Griffiths: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9579-8021
ORCID for Tony Kendrick: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1618-9381
ORCID for Paul Little: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3664-1873
ORCID for Lucy Yardley: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3853-883X

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 26 Mar 2026 17:48
Last modified: 27 Mar 2026 02:58

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Contributors

Author: Rosie Essery ORCID iD
Author: Fiona Mowbray ORCID iD
Author: Victoria Hayter
Author: Jo Kelly
Author: Jane Somerville
Author: Jin Zhang ORCID iD
Author: Elisabeth Grey
Author: Max Western
Author: Anne E Ferrey
Author: Adele Krusche
Author: Beth Stuart
Author: Nanette Mutrie
Author: Sian Robinson ORCID iD
Author: Louise Robinson
Author: Martin Rossor
Author: John Gallacher
Author: Simon Griffin
Author: Tony Kendrick ORCID iD
Author: Shanaya Rathod
Author: Bernard Gudgin
Author: Rosemary Phillips
Author: Tom Stokes
Author: John Niven
Author: Paul Little ORCID iD
Author: Lucy Yardley ORCID iD

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