STUDY BASICS
Did you recover from depression in the past two years? Are you age 60 or older? You may be able to participate in a research study to help better understand how lifestyle modification affects the brain in recently depressed older adults. Participants will take part in one of two healthy lifestyle programs, each facilitated by a personal coach. Compensation and travel reimbursement is provided.
STUDY PURPOSE
Older adults with a history of depression may be more likely to have problems with their memory and thinking, even if they are no longer experiencing symptoms of depression. Lifestyle modification has been shown to improve brain health in older adults, but researchers do not fully understand this relationship. The purpose of this study is to better understand the role of adopting a healthy lifestyle in preserving brain health in recently depressed older adults. Researchers hope their findings lead to better ways to improve brain health in older adults with a history of depression in the future. |
COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?
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WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT
Eligible participants will be asked to complete a baseline visit that includes an interview, MRI scan, and fitness test, as well as one week of activity monitoring. Following this visit, participants will be randomly assigned to one of two lifestyle programs: a holistic healthy aging program focused on self-management of multiple dimensions of health or a supervised moderate-intensity aerobic exercise program. Both programs will last for six months. At the halfway mark and at the end of the intervention, assessments from the baseline visit will be repeated. |
IRB: STUDY20080088
- Aerobic Exercise for Optimizing Cognitive and Brain Health in Remitted Late-Life DepressionMEET THE RESEARCHER
Swathi Gujral
Swathi Gujral, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Gujral’s clinical and research work focuses on assessing and treating cognitive dysfunction and depression in older adults. Her long-term research goal is to optimize brain health in older adults with psychiatric and cognitive comorbidities using lifestyle interventions.