The Study of Healthy Aging
& Applied Research Programs
Clemson University
Interventions
Updated January 2024. *Indicates student; **Indicates postdoctoral fellow
*Sprague, B. N., Ross, L. A., & Ball, K. (2023). Does cognitive training reduce falls across ten years?: Data from the ACTIVE trial.
Overview: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of cognitive training on the risk of experiencing a fall across 10 years. The study used data from the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) randomized controlled trial. Older adults aged 65-94 were randomly assigned to speed of processing, memory, or reasoning training or to a no-contact control group ( = 2802).
Phillips, C. B., *McVey, A., *Tian, J., †Stephan, A. T., *Davis, W. B., Aflagah, E. L., & Ross, L. A. (2023). Mixed effects of three behavioral interventions on older adults’ cognitive, physical, and everyday function: A pilot randomized controlled trial.
Overview: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) pilot examined the feasibility of testing the effects of three commercially available interventions on function-related outcomes in older adults. Pairs of community-dwelling older adults (N=55, Mage=71.4) were randomized to a 10-week intervention (cognitive-COG, physical-EX, combined exergame-EXCOG, or control-CON). Cognitive, physical, and everyday function were assessed at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 6-months post-intervention. Feasibility was evaluated using recruitment, enrollment, training adherence, and retention metrics. Variability and patterns of change in functional outcomes were examined descriptively.
Nicholson, J. S., Hudak, E.M., Phillips, C.B., Chanti-Ketterl, M., O’Brien, J.L., Ross, L.A., Lister, J.J., Burke, J.R., Potter, G., Plassman, B., Woods, A.J., Krischer, J. & Edwards, J.D. (2022). The Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT) Randomized Controlled Trial, Contemporary Clinical Trials, 123, 1-8. doi. 10.1016/j.cct.2022.106978.
Overview: The Preventing Alzheimer's with Cognitive Training study (PACT) investigates a commercially available computerized cognitive training program targeting improved Useful Field of View Training (UFOVT) performance. The primary goal is to test the effectiveness of UFOVT to reduce incidence of clinically defined mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia with a secondary objective to examine if effects are moderated by plasma β-amyloid level or apolipoprotein E e4 (APOE e4) allele status.
Phillips, C., *McVey, A., *Tian, J., Stephan, A., *Davis, W. B., Aflagah, E. L., &
Ross, L. A. (2023). Feasibility of a pilot dyadic randomized controlled trial testing the effects of three behavioral interventions on older adults’ cognitive, physical and everyday function. Frontiers in Aging, 4(1166338). https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fragi.2023.1166338/full
Adams, M. A.†, Phillips, C. B.†, Patel, A., & Middel, A. (2022). Training computers to see the built environment related to physical activity: Detection of microscale walkability features using computer vision. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19(8), 4548; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084548
Overview: The study purpose was to train and validate a deep learning approach to detect microscale streetscape features related to pedestrian physical activity.
Overview: The current study examined age-varying associations between subjective and objective memory in a cross-sectional sample of healthy older adults from the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study. Time varying effects modeling (TVEM) was used to examine relationship magnitude fluctuations between subjective and objective memory across ages 65 to 85.
Nicholson, J. S., Hudak, E.M., Phillips, C.B., Chanti-Ketterl, M., O’Brien, J.L., Ross, L.A., Lister, J.J., Burke, J.R., Potter, G., Plassman, B., Woods, A.J., Krischer, J., & Edwards, J.D. (2022). The Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT) randomized controlled trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 123, 10698. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2022.106978
Overview: This trial tested the independent and joint effects of a mobile health system automating adaptive goal setting and immediate financial reinforcement for increasing daily walking among insufficiently active adults.
Overview: A pilot study of older adults' experiences with an exercise video game on the Xbox Kinect reveals that the sample of older adults was motivated to do well on the games but reported mixed enjoyment of the games. Some older adults thought playing with a partner would make exergaming more fun, while others did not.
*Fausto, B. A., Adorno Maldonado, P. F., Ross, L. A., Lavallière, m., & Edwards, J. D. (2021). A systematic review and meta-analysis of older driver interventions. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 149(1), DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2020.105852
Overview: Skill-specific and combined intervention approaches show improvement in on-road driving performance and at-fault crash reduction.
*Sprague, B. N., †Phillips, C. B., & Ross, L. A. (2021). Cognitive training attenuates decline in physical function across 10 years. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences,76(6), 1114-1124. DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa072
Overview: This study examined thee effects of 3 different cognitive training programs on physical function across a ten-year period.
Overview: The authors propose the application of change point modeling for cognitive training studies.
Overview: Older adults receiving speed of processing, memory, and reasoning training had significantly better physical functioning performance across five years.
Overview: Ten hours of Useful Field of View training (UFOVt) was compared to ten hours of cognitively stimulating activities (CSA) and a no-contact control group. Resting-state functional connectivity between ROIs involved in executive function and visual attention was strengthened following UFOVt compared with CSA and no-contact controls.
Overview: Older adults at-risk for mobility declines were 49% less likely to cease driving after reasoning training and 55% less likely to quit driving subsequent to speed of processing training. Additional booster sessions for speed of processing training resulted in a 70% reduction of driving cessation.
Overview: Older adults at-risk for mobility declines who receive booster speed-of-processing training sessions maintain driving frequency and exposure across five years.
Overview: Speed of Processing training does not appear to result in changes in microsaccade amplitude, suggesting that the mechanism underlying Speed of Processing training is unlikely to rely on microsaccades.
Overview: Pupil diameter is a measure of cognitive effort. Younger adults who received speed of processing training used fewer cognitive resources (effort) after training.
Overview: Older adults who received speed of processing training significally improved on targeted cognitive measures across five years.
Overview: This is a systematic review examining the impact of cognitive training, educational interventions, exercise interventions, and mixed interventions in maintaining mobility (broadly defined).
Overview: Adults with HIV who received speed of processing training improved their cognitive (via UFOV) and timed instrumental activities of daily living.
Overview: Speed of processing training and reasoning training reduced at-fault state-reported crashes by approximately 50% among older drivers.
Overview: Older adults at-risk for mobility difficulties who completed speed of processing training had maintained driving mobility and less driving difficuly across three years.
Overview: This article provides an overview of Speed of Processing training and investigates associated correlates of training effects. This training improved older adult's cognition (via UFOV) regardless of age and education.