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Curiosity-Based Interventions Increase Everyday Functioning Score But Not Serum BDNF Levels in a Cohort of Healthy Older Adults
Grossberg AN, Bettcher BM, Gorgens KA, Ledreux A.. Frontiers in aging, 2021-08-09
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
An enriched environment is effective in stimulating learning and memory in animal models as well as in humans. Environmental enrichment increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in aged rats and reduces levels of Alzheimer-related proteins in the blood, including amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides and misfolded toxic forms of tau. To address whether stimulation of curiosity, which is a form of enrichment, may provide a buffer against Alzheimer's disease (AD), we measured levels of biomarkers associated with AD at baseline and after a 6-week intervention in older adults (>65 years of age) randomized to one of three different intervention conditions.
Key findings
- Environmental enrichment increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in aged rats and reduces levels of Alzheimer-related proteins in the blood, including amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides and misfolded toxic forms of tau.
- To address whether stimulation of curiosity, which is a form of enrichment, may provide a buffer against Alzheimer's disease (AD), we measured levels of biomarkers associated with AD at baseline and after a 6-week intervention in older adults (>65 years of age) randomized to one of three different intervention conditions.
- Specifically, in this pilot study, we tested the effectiveness of a traditional, structured learning environment compared to a self-motivated learning environment designed to stimulate curiosity.
- There were no significant differences from baseline to post-intervention in any of the groups for Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio or t-tau (total-tau) plasma levels.
Why it matters
In this 6-week randomized intervention in healthy older adults, curiosity-based interventions increased an everyday functioning score but did not change serum BDNF levels. It reports no effect on that biomarker and does not show that the intervention treats, cures or prevents Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 35/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Frontiers in aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Frontiers in Aging: journal h-index 43 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2021 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.1 citations a year over 7 year(s) since 2021 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Aurélie Ledreux: h-index 27 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Colorado Anschutz: institution h-index 768 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 35822037) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 35 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2021.700838
- PubMed: 35822037
- Original source →
- Free full text: Frontiers in Aging →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Grossberg, A. N., Bettcher, B. M., Gorgens, K. A., & Ledreux, A. (2021). Curiosity-Based Interventions Increase Everyday Functioning Score But Not Serum BDNF Levels in a Cohort of Healthy Older Adults. Frontiers in aging. https://doi.org/10.3389/fragi.2021.700838
Vancouver
Grossberg AN, Bettcher BM, Gorgens KA, Ledreux A. Curiosity-Based Interventions Increase Everyday Functioning Score But Not Serum BDNF Levels in a Cohort of Healthy Older Adults. Frontiers in aging. 2021. doi:10.3389/fragi.2021.700838. PMID: 35822037.
BibTeX
@article{grossberg2021-35822037,
author = {Grossberg, A. N. and Bettcher, B. M. and Gorgens, K. A. and Ledreux, A.},
title = {{Curiosity-Based Interventions Increase Everyday Functioning Score But Not Serum BDNF Levels in a Cohort of Healthy Older Adults}},
journal = {Frontiers in aging},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.3389/fragi.2021.700838},
pmid = {35822037},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fragi.2021.700838}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.