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Targeting brain health in subjective cognitive decline: insights from a multidomain randomized controlled trial
Elena Rolandi, Alessandra Dodich, Sara Mandelli, Nicola Valentino Canessa, Clarissa Ferrari, Federica Ribaldi, Giulio Munaretto, Claudia Ambrosi et al.. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 2025-05-14
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The MI group significantly improved in attention-executive functioning (p = 0.003) compared to ACI (Cohen's d: 0.47, 95% CI 0.13-0.79). In addition, depressive symptoms (Cohen's d: - 0.48, 95% C.I. - 0.81 to - 0.14) and memory concerns (Cohen's d: - 0.77, 95% C.I. - 1.12 to - 0.41) decreased in the MI and PI respectively, relative to the ACI. The MI group also showed increased resting-state (i.e., intrinsic) brain activity in the right fronto-parietal executive network. No significant intervention effects on brain structural or vascular outcomes were found. The study shows that a multidomain lifestyle intervention can enhance attention-executive function, ameliorate depressive symptoms and increase functional connectivity in SCD. These findings support the role of lifestyle interventions in public health strategies to mitigate cognitive decline risk. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial has been registered at the United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health Registry of Clinical Trials under the code NCT04744922 on December 9th, 2017 ( https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov/ct2/show/NCT03382353 ).
Key findings
- The MI group significantly improved in attention-executive functioning (p = 0.003) compared to ACI (Cohen's d: 0.47, 95% CI 0.13-0.79).
- In addition, depressive symptoms (Cohen's d: - 0.48, 95% C.I. - 0.81 to - 0.14) and memory concerns (Cohen's d: - 0.77, 95% C.I. - 1.12 to - 0.41) decreased in the MI and PI respectively, relative to the ACI.
- The MI group also showed increased resting-state (i.e., intrinsic) brain activity in the right fronto-parietal executive network.
- No significant intervention effects on brain structural or vascular outcomes were found.
- The study shows that a multidomain lifestyle intervention can enhance attention-executive function, ameliorate depressive symptoms and increase functional connectivity in SCD.
Why it matters
In this trial of people with subjective cognitive decline, a multidomain lifestyle intervention improved attention and executive function and reduced depressive symptoms and memory concerns, but it found no significant effects on brain structure or blood vessel outcomes. It does not show whether this intervention prevents progression to Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
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 (Aging Clinical and Experimental Research) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Aging Clinical and Experimental Research: journal h-index 125 (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 | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 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 | 2 / 7 | Cited 8 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 8 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Enrica Cavedo: h-index 47 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Geneva: institution h-index 1,049 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 13 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40366507) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1007/s40520-025-03062-z
- PubMed: 40366507
- Original source →
- Free full text: Aging Clinical and Experimental Research →
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. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Rolandi, E., Dodich, A., Mandelli, S., Canessa, N. V., Ferrari, C., Ribaldi, F., et al. (2025). Targeting brain health in subjective cognitive decline: insights from a multidomain randomized controlled trial. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-025-03062-z
Vancouver
Rolandi E, Dodich A, Mandelli S, Canessa NV, Ferrari C, Ribaldi F, et al. Targeting brain health in subjective cognitive decline: insights from a multidomain randomized controlled trial. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. 2025. doi:10.1007/s40520-025-03062-z. PMID: 40366507.
BibTeX
@article{rolandi2025-40366507,
author = {Rolandi, Elena and Dodich, Alessandra and Mandelli, Sara and Canessa, Nicola Valentino and Ferrari, Clarissa and Ribaldi, Federica and Munaretto, Giulio and Ambrosi, Claudia and others},
title = {{Targeting brain health in subjective cognitive decline: insights from a multidomain randomized controlled trial}},
journal = {Aging Clinical and Experimental Research},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1007/s40520-025-03062-z},
pmid = {40366507},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-025-03062-z}
}
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