Landmark Alzheimer’s Association Trial Shows Lifestyle Changes Can Protect Brain Health

August 15, 2025

Last week, the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® 2025 (AAIC®) introduced collectively researchers from around the globe to share their discoveries. Thanks largely to sturdy investments in dementia analysis from the private and non-private sector during the last decade, researchers are offering new perception into the numerous elements impacting mind well being — from environmental dangers and medicine use to life-style and genetics.  

Shared for the primary time at AAIC 2025, the Alzheimer’s Association U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk, referred to as U.S. POINTER, discovered {that a} structured life-style program — specializing in issues like improved diet, bodily train, cognitive engagement, and well being monitoring — improved pondering and reminiscence over two years, maintaining mind perform from declining because it usually would with getting older. Participants within the structured program carried out like individuals who have been one to nearly two years youthful, suggesting that these habits might help the mind keep resilient towards age-related modifications.

U.S. POINTER is the primary large-scale, randomized managed scientific trial to show that an accessible and sustainable wholesome life-style intervention can defend cognitive perform in various populations in communities throughout the United States. Both of the life-style interventions in U.S. POINTER improved cognition in older adults liable to cognitive decline. The cognitive advantages, nevertheless, have been larger for the structured intervention than for the self-guided intervention.

 

These findings will rework the way in which our nation approaches mind well being. Until now, there was proof rising to counsel that constructive on a regular basis actions might defend mind well being, however there was a scarcity of rigorous knowledge in consultant populations that proved a connection. Thanks to U.S. POINTER, we are able to confidently say that concurrently concentrating on threat elements for cognitive decline can enhance mind well being. 

The outcomes current a compelling case for investments in preventive mind well being applications concentrating on diet, bodily train, cognitive stimulation and cardiovascular wellness. This will not be solely a mind well being concern — it’s an financial crucial. Reducing cognitive decline might assist scale back future care prices and assist wholesome, productive getting older.

The Alzheimer’s Association and AIM are urging policymakers to assist funding, laws, and public well being initiatives that convey these confirmed mind well being interventions into extra communities. We stand able to collaborate on options to guard our nation’s mind well being.

Read the Association’s release on the U.S. POINTER outcomes.

Learn extra in regards to the scientific progress being made because of the investments made in Alzheimer’s and dementia analysis.