Effects of a 14-day healthy longevity lifestyle program on cognition and brain

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a 14-day healthy longevity lifestyle program on cognition and cerebral metabolism in people with mild age-related memory complaints. Methods: Seventeen nondemented subjects, aged 35–69 years (mean: 53 years, standard deviation: 10) with mild self-reported mem-ory complaints but normal baseline memory performance scores were randomly assigned to 1) the intervention group (N8): a program combining a brain healthy diet plan, relaxation exercises, cardiovascular conditioning, and mental exercise (brain teasers and verbal memory training techniques); or 2) the control group (N 9): usual lifestyle routine. Pre- and postintervention measures included self-assess-ments of memory ability, objective tests of cognitive performance, and determina-tions of regional cerebral metabolism during mental rest with [fluorine-18]fluorode-oxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET). Results: Subjects in the intervention group objectively demonstrated greater word fluency. Concomitantly, their FDG-PET scans identified a 5 % decrease in activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The control group showed no significant change in any of the measures. Conclusions: A short-term healthy lifestyle program combining mental and physical exercise, stress reduction, and healthy diet was associated with signifi-cant effects on cognitive function and brain metabolism. Reduced resting activity in left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may reflect greater cognitive efficiency of a brain region involved in working memory. (Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2006; 14:538–545