NCT06038643: HABS

Intergenerational Behavioral Intervention to Enhance Physical Activity in Older Adults at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Completed NA Results posted Last updated 9 July 2025

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Motivational behavioural intervention and daily activities monitoring in Physical Inactivity in 76 participants. Completed in 30 May 2024.

Timeline

8 October 2023

Primary endpoint
14 April 2024

30 May 2024

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Douglas Mental Health University Institute
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	single
Primary purpose	prevention
Enrollment	76
Start date	8 October 2023
Primary completion	14 April 2024
Estimated completion	30 May 2024
Sites	1 location across Canada

Drugs / interventions tested

• Motivational behavioural intervention and daily activities monitoring
• Active Control — full drug profile →

Conditions studied

• Physical Inactivity — all drugs for Physical Inactivity →

Sponsor

Douglas Mental Health University Institute

Who can join

Adults 60 to 95, any sex, with Physical Inactivity. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.

Total Step Count (Average Steps/Day) Primary · 4-week

This metric quantifies the change in the average number of steps taken each day, from the baseline period to the 4-week period. It is a marker of change in habitual ambulatory activity.

Group	Value	95% CI
Intervention	5648.91	± 4033.49
Active Control	3809.62	± 2833.25

The Modified Differential Emotions Scale (mDES) Negative Emotions Secondary · 4 weeks

The Modified Differential Emotions Scale (mDES) Negative Emotions subscale measures the intensity of negative emotional experiences such as sadness, anger, fear, and shame. Possible scores: min. 0, max. 80 A higher score indicates greater emotional intensity or frequency of the emotions assessed.

Group	Value	95% CI
Intervention	1.18	± 0.27
Active Control	1.31	± 0.37

Generativity - Achievement Secondary · 4 weeks

This questionnaire measures generativity, which refers to the concern or desire individuals have to contribute to the well-being and development of future generations. Generative evaluates the extent to which individuals are motivated by generative concerns, including the desire to impact others and future generations; the Achievement subscale specifically captures the orientation toward personal goal attainment, mastery, and the pursuit of success as expressions of generativity. Scores for the generative achievement subscale ranged between 6 and 36, with higher scores indicating greater gen

Group	Value	95% CI
Intervention	25.09	± 5.18
Active Control	22.58	± 5.88

Test My Brain Digital Neuropsychology Toolkit - Backwards Digit Span Secondary · 4 weeks

The TestMyBrain Digital Neuropsychology Toolkit Backwards Digit Span assesses working memory by requiring individuals to recall sequences of numbers in reverse order. In the backward version, the participant is shown a series of numbers in increasing length and asked to recall the numbers in reverse order. This is a test of short-term memory and working memory. This test was adapted from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales. Scores go from 1 to 10. Higher scores are better.

Group	Value	95% CI
Intervention	6.58	± 1.53
Active Control	4.89	± 1.83

Loneliness Secondary · 4 weeks

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale. A higher average score indicates greater loneliness. Possible scores: min. 20, max. 80.

Group	Value	95% CI
Intervention	53.71	± 23.89
Active Control	44.87	± 19.25

Modified Differential Emotions Scale (mDES) Positive Emotions Secondary · 4 weeks

The Modified Differential Emotions Scale (mDES) Positive Emotions subscale measures the intensity of positive emotional experiences such as joy, gratitude, love, and hope. Possible scores: min. 0, max. 80 A higher score indicates greater emotional intensity or frequency of the emotions assessed.

Group	Value	95% CI
Intervention	3.38	± 0.69
Active Control	3.40	± 0.75

Generativity Desire Secondary · 4 weeks

The Generative Test measures generativity, which refers to the concern or desire individuals have to contribute to the well-being and development of future generations. The Desire subscale specifically assesses the emotional motivation and intrinsic longing to nurture, support, and positively impact others and future generations. Scores for the generative desire subscale ranged between 7 and 42, with higher scores indicating greater generative desire.

Group	Value	95% CI
Intervention	31.67	± 6.13
Active Control	29.72	± 7.05

Test My Brain Digital Neuropsychology Toolkit - Choice Reaction Time Secondary · 4 weeks

The TestMyBrain Digital Neuropsychology Toolkit Choice Reaction Time task measures processing speed and attention by assessing how quickly individuals respond to different stimuli.

Group	Value	95% CI
Intervention	1293.08	± 722.89
Active Control	1136.67	± 389.61

Test My Brain Digital Neuropsychology Toolkit - Digit Symbol Matching Secondary · 4 weeks

The TestMyBrain Digital Neuropsychology Toolkit Digit Symbol Matching task measures processing speed, attention, and visual-motor coordination by requiring rapid matching of symbols to corresponding numbers.

Group	Value	95% CI
Intervention	38.81	± 7.14
Active Control	36.83	± 7.85

Test My Brain Digital Neuropsychology Toolkit - Forward Digit Span Secondary · 4 weeks

The TestMyBrain Digital Neuropsychology Toolkit Forward Digit Span task measures short-term memory by requiring individuals to recall sequences of numbers in the order presented. In the forward version of TMB Digit Span, the participant is shown a series of numbers in increasing length and asked to recall the numbers in the order displayed. This is a test of short-term memory. This test was adapted from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales. Scores go from 1 to 11. Higher scores are better.

Group	Value	95% CI
Intervention	6.91	± 1.57
Active Control	6.18	± 1.81

Test My Brain Digital Neuropsychology Toolkit - Gradual Onset Continuous Performance C Secondary · 4 weeks

The TestMyBrain Digital Neuropsychology Toolkit Gradual Onset Continuous Performance Task measures sustained attention and inhibitory control by requiring individuals to detect target stimuli amid gradually changing non-targets. In this go/no-go test, the participant presses a button for each city image and withholds button presses for mountain images. This is a test of cognitive control, sustained attention, and response inhibition. Values can be from -1.5 to +1.5. Higher scores indicate better performance. The CPT.C score is a measure of response criterion, or how quickly and/or impulsively

Group	Value	95% CI
Intervention	0.45	± 0.25
Active Control	0.40	± 0.36

Test My Brain Digital Neuropsychology Toolkit - Gradual Onset Continuous Performance D Secondary · 4 weeks

The TestMyBrain Digital Neuropsychology Toolkit Gradual Onset Continuous Performance Task (D) assesses sustained attention and response inhibition by requiring individuals to monitor and respond to target stimuli within a dynamic visual stream. In this go/no-go test, the participant presses a button for each city image and withholds button presses for mountain images. This is a test of cognitive control, sustained attention, and response inhibition. The CPT.D score is a measure of discrimination performance, related to how accurately the participant was able to respond to mountains and scenes

Group	Value	95% CI
Intervention	2.80	± 0.65
Active Control	2.87	± 0.91

Sponsor's own description

This is a four-week pilot randomized controlled trial of a behavioral intervention in older adults at risk for Alzheimer's disease. Older participants are a subgroup from the PREVENT-AD longitudinal cohort. We will test whether a four-week intergenerational social motivation using a technology-based platform (intervention group) enhances physical activity relative to a control group.

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. The Temporal Relationship Between Physical Activity, Mood, and Sleep in Older Adults: Lead‐Lag Discovery and Replication Analyses
   Kara R, de la Colina A, Ai M, Bao S, et al · · 2024