# The Lifestyle Intervention in memory clinics of General and academic Hospitals Trial (LIGHT): Rationale and study design of a randomized controlled trial to reduce modifiable dementia risk

## TL;DR

The LIGHT trial tests if lifestyle coaching and self-management can reduce dementia risk in memory clinic patients with early cognitive decline.

## Contribution

This is the first trial to evaluate a multidomain lifestyle intervention for dementia risk reduction in memory clinic patients.

## Key findings

- LIGHT will assess the effectiveness of lifestyle coaching and self-management in reducing dementia risk factors.
- The trial includes a primary outcome based on the LIBRA2 index measuring changes in modifiable dementia risk factors.
- The study will provide insights into implementing lifestyle interventions in clinical memory clinic settings.

## Abstract

Dementia risk reduction through lifestyle modification has much potential but is not yet implemented in routine clinical care. Currently, there are no preventive interventions available for memory clinic patients. Therefore, the aim of The Lifestyle Intervention in the memory clinics of General and academic Hospitals Trial (LIGHT) is to examine the (cost)effectiveness of a multidomain intervention combining lifestyle coaching with risk self-management for patients with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

LIGHT is a 1-year multi-center randomized controlled trial for dementia risk reduction by improving brain health through lifestyle modifications in memory clinic patients without dementia. Starting early 2025, the trial aims to include 300 older adults (≥ 50 years) with SCD or MCI, with presence of ≥ 2 modifiable dementia risk factors, recruited via the memory clinics of Dutch hospitals. Participants are randomized 1:1 to either the intervention group or control group. The intervention consists of three components: (1) three individual sessions with a certified lifestyle coach to set and work on personal goals, (2) vouchers for access to brain-healthy services from local providers, and (3) access to an online self-management platform (www.breinzorg.nl) providing psychoeducation on dementia risk reduction through lifestyle. The control group receives general health advice. The primary outcome is 1-year change in modifiable dementia risk captured by the LIfestyle for BRAin Health 2 (LIBRA2) index consisting of coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, depression, obesity, smoking, high physical activity, and chronic kidney disease, high alcohol intake, high cognitive activity, healthy diet, hearing impairment, sleep disturbances, and social participation. Secondary outcomes include cognitive functioning, health-related quality of life, activities of daily living, self-efficacy, care use, as well as change in individual risk factors.

LIGHT will provide insight into the implementation and (cost-)effectiveness of a lifestyle intervention for indicated prevention in a memory clinic setting.

Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT06832761 (date 2025-02-18), OMON: 57,198.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13195-025-01947-9.