Clinical and attitudinal outcomes of a personalized, multimodal lifestyle intervention for Alzheimer's disease prevention in high-risk, cognitively normal older adults in north Alabama: A pilot study

The study examined the effectiveness of a personalized intervention aimed at preventing Alzheimer's disease in 138 cognitively normal adults aged 65-75 with a family history of dementia in northern Alabama. Participants were screened using cognitive tests, genetic testing, and blood biomarker pTau217 measurement. Of the total, 52 participants (37.7%) were classified as high-risk, with the majority (69.2%) identified based on elevated pTau217 levels alone. After results disclosure, 28% of respondents experienced clinically significant distress, though this was often associated with pre-existing anxiety or depression. During a 6-month intervention consisting of nutritionist counseling, cognitive training, and physical activity tracking, cognitive scores remained unchanged, but pTau217 levels rose more slowly than before the intervention. Subjective worry and perceived dementia risk decreased significantly. The results suggest this approach is feasible and safe, demonstrating improved attitudes despite limited short-term biological changes.