Engaging in Regular Online Interactions May Aid in Preventing Cognitive Deterioration Among Socially Isolated Seniors, Study Suggests
A study funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and published in The Gerontologist has found that routine online interactions could be instrumental in curbing cognitive decline among socially isolated older individuals. Social isolation is a known contributing factor to cognitive deterioration and an increased risk of dementia. The Internet-based Conversational Clinical Trial (I-CONECT), conducted by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University, sought to connect these seniors with skilled interlocutors for frequent video calls of 30 minutes, aimed at engaging and stimulating their mental faculties.
The conversations in the I-CONECT study were meticulously crafted, with team members directing the discussions to activate brain regions linked to memory enhancement, executive functions, and the ability to engage in abstract thinking. The study incorporated 186 participants, divided into an experimental group and a control group. For the first six months, individuals in the experimental group had four weekly conversations with the I-CONECT trained personnel, followed by bi-weekly sessions for the subsequent six months. Those in the control group were contacted by I-CONECT staff for a brief, 10-minute telephone call once a week.
Participants engaging in the targeted conversation treatment exhibited a notable improvement, averaging 1.75 points higher on cognitive assessments compared to their counterparts in the control group. Additionally, they demonstrated enhanced scores in language-related executive functions. Interestingly, markers of emotional well-being saw uplifts in both the experimental and control groups alike. Advanced brain imaging, specifically magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), revealed that those in the intervention cohort experienced heightened neural connectivity within the dorsal attention network—a brain sector pivotal for operating and recording memories—when aligned against the control group.
Though the findings signal the potential of engaging dialogues in bolstering cognitive capacities in the elderly, it’s important to note that the scope and breadth of this I-CONECT phase were somewhat constricted, partly due to restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 outbreak. Although the outcomes are encouraging, they remain provisional and call for further comprehensive exploration across a broader spectrum of demographics and environments.
