Fortifying Healthy Behaviors, Optimizing Medical Therapies and Enhancing Cognitive Function in Older Adults-pilot Study

Launched by WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · May 29, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, called "Fortifying Healthy Behaviors, Optimizing Medical Therapies and Enhancing Cognitive Function in Older Adults," is designed to find ways to help older adults improve their mental, physical, and immune health. The study will explore different methods, including changes in lifestyle, managing risk factors, and using certain medications and supplements that are thought to benefit health.

To be eligible for this study, participants need to be between 50 and 70 years old, live in Illinois or Missouri, and be able to visit the research center in St. Louis for assessments and sessions. They should not exercise regularly and must have a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or higher. It's important to know that individuals with certain medical conditions, such as dementia or severe psychiatric disorders, cannot participate. Those who join the study can expect to receive support and guidance on how to improve their health through various interventions. This is a promising opportunity for older adults looking to enhance their overall well-being.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• • Participants must be residents of Illinois or Missouri and able to come to St. Louis offices in person.
• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Ages 50-70
• • Able to come to the research center for testing and intervention visits.
• • Sedentary (no moderate exercise and no more than 15-minutes per day of light exercise (confirmed via interview with participants)).
• • BMI≥27 or Body Roundness index ≥6
• • Able to provide informed consent.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Dementia or other clinical neurodegenerative illness (e.g., Parkinson's disease, cerebrovascular disease unless minor eg one lacunar infarct with minimal/no impairment) per self-report or medical records.
• • Medical conditions that suggest shortened lifespan (such as metastatic cancer), severe/uncontrolled psychiatric disorders or conditions that would prohibit safe participation.
• • Unable to perform study assessments.
• • Alcohol or substance abuse within 6 months per self-report or medical records.
• • Concurrent cognitive training, such as brain-training software, or other interventions expected to affect neuroplasticity.
• • Any drug that interacts pharmacokinetically, or is contraindicated with study interventions (examples would include high-dose SSRI that should not be combined with vortioxetine)
• • PI has discretion to exclude potential participants eg if their health status appears either too good or too poor to be amenable to intervention