Randomized controlled trials of non-pharmacological interventions for healthy seniors: Effects on cognitive decline, brain plasticity and activities of daily living—A 23-year scoping review
C.E. James,
D.M. Müller,
C.A.H. Müller,
Y. Van De Looij,
E. Altenmüller,
M. Kliegel,
D. Van De Ville,
D. Marie
Affiliations
C.E. James
Geneva Musical Minds Lab (GEMMI Lab), Geneva School of Health Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland HES-SO, Avenue de Champel 47, 1206, Geneva, Switzerland; Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 101, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland; Corresponding author. Geneva Musical Minds Lab (GEMMI Lab), Geneva School of Health Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland HES-SO, Avenue de Champel 47, 1206, Geneva, Switzerland.
D.M. Müller
Geneva Musical Minds Lab (GEMMI Lab), Geneva School of Health Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland HES-SO, Avenue de Champel 47, 1206, Geneva, Switzerland
C.A.H. Müller
Geneva Musical Minds Lab (GEMMI Lab), Geneva School of Health Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland HES-SO, Avenue de Champel 47, 1206, Geneva, Switzerland
Y. Van De Looij
Geneva Musical Minds Lab (GEMMI Lab), Geneva School of Health Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland HES-SO, Avenue de Champel 47, 1206, Geneva, Switzerland; Division of Child Development and Growth, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Geneva, 6 Rue Willy Donzé, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland; Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM), Animal Imaging and Technology Section, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH F1 - Station 6, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
E. Altenmüller
Hannover University of Music, Drama and Media, Institute for Music Physiology and Musicians' Medicine, Neues Haus 1, 30175, Hannover, Germany; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Bünteweg 2, 30559, Hannover, Germany
M. Kliegel
Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Boulevard Carl-Vogt 101, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland; Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, Switzerland, Chemin de Pinchat 22, 1207, Carouge, Switzerland
D. Van De Ville
Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Neuro-X Institute, Campus Biotech, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; University of Geneva, Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medecine, Campus Biotech, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
D. Marie
Geneva Musical Minds Lab (GEMMI Lab), Geneva School of Health Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland HES-SO, Avenue de Champel 47, 1206, Geneva, Switzerland; CIBM Center for Biomedical Imaging, Cognitive and Affective Neuroimaging Section, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
Little is known about the simultaneous effects of non-pharmacological interventions (NPI) on healthy older adults' behavior and brain plasticity, as measured by psychometric instruments and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The purpose of this scoping review was to compile an extensive list of randomized controlled trials published from January 1, 2000, to August 31, 2023, of NPI for mitigating and countervailing age-related physical and cognitive decline and associated cerebral degeneration in healthy elderly populations with a mean age of 55 and over. After inventorying the NPI that met our criteria, we divided them into six classes: single-domain cognitive, multi-domain cognitive, physical aerobic, physical non-aerobic, combined cognitive and physical aerobic, and combined cognitive and physical non-aerobic. The ultimate purpose of these NPI was to enhance individual autonomy and well-being by bolstering functional capacity that might transfer to activities of daily living. The insights from this study can be a starting point for new research and inform social, public health, and economic policies. The PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist served as the framework for this scoping review, which includes 70 studies. Results indicate that medium- and long-term interventions combining non-aerobic physical exercise and multi-domain cognitive interventions best stimulate neuroplasticity and protect against age-related decline and that outcomes may transfer to activities of daily living.
