The research, published in The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, looked at the effect of non-pharmaceutical interventions in older adults experiencing subjective cognitive decline (SCD); a condition where individuals feel their memory or thinking skills are worsening, even though standard tests show normal results.
The study, part of the European Union-funded Medit-Ageing project, involved 140 participants across memory clinics in the UK, France, Germany, and Spain. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two 8-week programmes:
- Caring Mindfulness-Based Approach for Seniors (CMBAS) – a programme focused on mindfulness and compassion meditation. It consisted of eight weekly group-based sessions, and a half-day meditation workshop. CMBAS participants were asked to engage in home practice for approximately one hour a day, six days per week, consisting of guided meditations and informal practices designed to embed mindfulness skills in daily life.
- Health Self-Management Program (HSMP) – a lifestyle-focused programme concentrated on managing sleep, stress, physical activity, healthy eating, medications and future planning; with weekly in home practices to promote engagement in activities to improve health and well-being. It matched the CMBAS programme for intensity and duration.
Researchers measured levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a neurodegenerative biomarker, in participants’ blood before, directly after the end of the programmes and again six months later.
While both programs improved mental wellbeing and cognition, only participants in the Health Self-Management Programme showed a significant reduction in NfL levels six months after the intervention.
Lead author Dr Natalie Marchant, Associate Professor at UCL Division of Psychiatry, said, “Our findings offer early evidence that lifestyle interventions may influence neurodegenerative processes, as reflected by reductions in plasma neurofilament light levels. While preliminary, these results open the door for future research to explore how behavioural approaches can be optimised to support brain health in those at risk of dementia.”
Lehané Masebo, PhD student at UCL Division of Psychiatry, said: “Our findings suggest that tailored, non‑pharmacological lifestyle interventions may have measurable impact on neurodegenerative biomarkers in older adults with subjective cognitive decline – highlighting a potential avenue for early preventive strategies. By demonstrating changes in plasma neurofilament light (NfL), a marker of neuronal damage, this study adds to the growing evidence that behavioural health programs can influence biological processes linked to dementia, long before clinical symptoms appear.”