An NIA-funded study found that regular online conversations show potential for helping prevent cognitive decline in socially isolated older adults. The Internet-Based Conversational Engagement Clinical Trial (I-CONECT) connected socially isolated older adults with trained conversationalists for regular 30-minute video chats. During these chats, team members guided participants through conversations designed to stimulate brain regions associated with memory, executive function, and abstract thought.
The study’s 186 participants were divided into two groups. The experimental group had conversations with I-CONECT staff four times weekly for six months, then twice weekly for another six months. The control group participants received a weekly 10-minute phone check-in. The experimental video chat group scored an average of 1.75 points higher on cognitive tests than the control group. While the results are positive, more extensive testing is required in different populations and settings.
