Prof. Hiroyuki Shimada, National Centre for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 7-430 Morioka-cho, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan, Tel: +81-562-44-5651 (ext. 5680), Fax: +81 562-46-8294, E-mail:
J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2022;9(2):376-384. doi: 10.14283/jpad.2022.12.
Several technical devices are available to monitor and promote changes in behavior toward higher activity. In particular, smartphones are becoming the primary platform for recognizing human activity. However, the effects of behavior change techniques that promote physical, cognitive, and social activities on incident dementia in older adults remain unknown.
This randomized controlled trial aims to examine the effects of behavior change techniques on the prevention of dementia among community-dwelling older adults using a smartphone as a behavior change tool.
A randomized controlled trial.
Community in Japan.
The study cohort comprises 3,498 individuals, aged ≥60 years, randomized into two groups: the smartphone group (n = 1,749) and the control group (n = 1,749).
The smartphone group will be asked to use smartphone applications for at least 30 minutes daily to self-manage and improve their physical, cognitive, and social activities. The smartphone group will perform 60-minute group walking sessions using application-linked Nordic walking poles with cognitive stimulation twice a week during the intervention period. The walking poles are a dual-task exercise tool that works with a smartphone to perform cognitive tasks while walking, and the poles are equipped with switches to answer questions for simple calculation and memory tasks. The smartphone and control groups will receive lectures about general health that will be provided during the baseline and follow-up assessments.
Incident dementia will be detected using cognitive tests (at baseline, after 15 months, and after 30 months) and by preparing diagnostic monthly reports based on data from the Japanese Health Insurance System. Participants without dementia at baseline who will be diagnosed with dementia over the 30-month follow-up period will be considered to have incident dementia.
This study has the potential to provide the first evidence of the effectiveness of information communication technology and Internet of Things in incident dementia. If our trial results show a delayed dementia onset for self-determination interventions, the study protocol will provide a cost-effective and safe method for maintaining healthy cognitive aging.
有几种技术设备可用于监测和促进行为向更高活动水平的改变。特别是，智能手机正成为识别人类活动的主要平台。然而，促进身体、认知和社会活动的行为改变技术对老年人发生痴呆的影响尚不清楚。
本随机对照试验旨在使用智能手机作为行为改变工具，研究行为改变技术对预防社区居住的老年人痴呆的效果。
随机对照试验。
日本社区。
研究队列包括 3498 名年龄≥60 岁的个体，随机分为两组：智能手机组（n=1749）和对照组（n=1749）。
智能手机组将被要求每天至少使用智能手机应用程序 30 分钟，以自我管理和改善他们的身体、认知和社会活动。在干预期间，智能手机组将每周两次使用与应用程序相关联的北欧步行杖进行 60 分钟的小组步行，同时进行认知刺激。步行杖是一种双任务锻炼工具，与智能手机配合使用，在步行时执行认知任务，并且杖上配备了开关以回答简单计算和记忆任务的问题。智能手机组和对照组将在基线和随访评估期间接受关于一般健康的讲座。
使用认知测试（基线时、15 个月后和 30 个月后）和根据日本健康保险系统的数据准备每月诊断报告来检测痴呆的发生。在基线时没有痴呆但在 30 个月的随访期间被诊断为痴呆的参与者将被认为患有痴呆。
本研究有可能提供信息通信技术和物联网在痴呆发生方面有效性的首个证据。如果我们的试验结果表明自主干预可以延迟痴呆的发生，那么该研究方案将提供一种具有成本效益且安全的方法来维持健康的认知衰老。
