Suboptimal sleep causes cognitive decline and probably accelerates Alzheimer's Disease (AD) progression. Several sleep interventions have been tested in established AD dementia cases. However early intervention is needed in the course of AD at Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or mild dementia stages to help prevent decline and maintain good quality of life. This systematic review aims to summarize evidence on sleep interventions in MCI and mild AD dementia. Seven databases were systematically searched for interventional studies where ≥ 75% of participants met diagnostic criteria for MCI/mild AD dementia, with a control group and validated sleep outcome measures. Studies with a majority of participants diagnosed with Moderate to Severe AD were excluded. After removal of duplicates, 22,133 references were returned in two separate searches (August 2019 and September 2020). 325 full papers were reviewed with 18 retained. Included papers reported 16 separate studies, total sample (n = 1,056), mean age 73.5 years. 13 interventions were represented: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – Insomnia (CBT‐I), A Multi‐Component Group Based Therapy, A Structured Limbs Exercise Programme, Aromatherapy, Phase Locked Loop Acoustic Stimulation, Transcranial Stimulation, Suvorexant, Melatonin, Donepezil, Galantamine, Rivastigmine, Tetrahydroaminoacridine and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). Psychotherapeutic approaches utilising adapted CBT‐I and a Structured Limbs Exercise Programme each achieved statistically significant improvements in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index with one study reporting co‐existent improved actigraphy variables. Suvorexant significantly increased Total Sleep Time and Sleep Efficiency whilst reducing Wake After Sleep Onset time. Transcranial Stimulation enhanced cortical slow oscillations and spindle power during daytime naps. Melatonin significantly reduced sleep latency in two small studies and sleep to wakefulness transitions in a small sample. CPAP demonstrated efficacy in participants with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. Evidence to support other interventions was limited. Whilst new evidence is emerging, there remains a paucity of evidence for sleep interventions in MCI and mild AD highlighting a pressing need for high quality experimental studies exploring alternative sleep interventions.

Background Challenges of recruitment to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and successful strategies to overcome them should be clearly reported to improve recruitment into future trials. REtirement in ACTion (REACT) is a United Kingdom-based multicenter RCT recruiting older adults at high risk of mobility disability to a 12-month group-based exercise and behavior maintenance program or to a minimal Healthy Aging control intervention. Methods The recruitment target was 768 adults, aged 65 years and older scoring 4–9 on the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Recruitment methods include the following: (a) invitations mailed by general practitioners (GPs); (b) invitations distributed via third-sector organizations; and (c) public relations (PR) campaign. Yields, efficiency, and costs were calculated. Results The study recruited 777 (33.9% men) community-dwelling, older adults (mean age 77.55 years (SD 6.79), mean SPPB score 7.37 (SD 1.56)), 95.11% white (n = 739) and broadly representative of UK quintiles of deprivation. Over a 20-month recruitment period, 25,559 invitations were issued. Eighty-eight percent of the participants were recruited via GP invitations, 5.4% via the PR campaign, 3% via word-of-mouth, and 2.5% via third-sector organizations. Mean recruitment cost per participant was £78.47, with an extra £26.54 per recruit paid to GPs to cover research costs. Conclusions REACT successfully recruited to target. Response rates were lower than initially predicted and recruitment timescales required adjustment. Written invitations from GPs were the most efficient method for recruiting older adults at risk of mobility disability. Targeted efforts could achieve more ethnically diverse cohorts. All trials should be required to provide recruitment data to enable evidence-based planning of future trials.

Suboptimal sleep causes cognitive decline and probably accelerates Alzheimer s Disease (AD) progression. Several sleep interventions have been tested in established AD dementia cases. However early intervention is needed in the course of AD at Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or mild dementia stages to help prevent decline and maintain good quality of life. This systematic review aims to summarize evidence on sleep interventions in MCI and mild AD dementia. Seven databases were systematically searched for interventional studies where greater than 75% of participants met diagnostic criteria for MCI/mild AD dementia, with a control group and validated sleep outcome measures. Studies with a majority of participants diagnosed with Moderate to Severe AD were excluded. 20164 references were returned after duplication removal. 284 full papers were reviewed with 12 retained. Included papers reported 11 separate studies, total sample (n=602), mean age 76.3 years. Nine interventions were represented: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Insomnia (CBT I), A Multi-Component Group Based Therapy, Phase Locked Loop Acoustic Stimulation, Melatonin, Donepezil, Galantamine, Rivastigmine, Tetrahydroaminoacridine and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). Psychotherapeutic approaches utilising adapted CBT-I achieved statistically significant improvements in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index with one study reporting co-existent improved actigraphy variables. Melatonin significantly reduced sleep latency and sleep to wakefulness transitions in a small sample. CPAP demonstrated efficacy in participants with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. Evidence to support other interventions was limited. There is a paucity of evidence for sleep interventions in MCI and mild AD highlighting a pressing need for high quality experimental studies exploring alternative sleep interventions.

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Background Physical activity (PA) programmes targeting older adults often report relatively low attendance rates which limits impact. Research into barriers and enablers of PA adherence is often qualitative and rarely tests outcomes against objectively monitored adherence to assess whether what people say is actually reflected in what they do. This study adopts a rare, mixed methods, longitudinal perspective identifying subjective and objective predictors of and associations with adherence to REtirement in ACTion (REACT), a 12-month physical activity intervention for frail or pre-frail older adults. Methods Semi-structured interviews conducted at six (n = 17) and 12 months (n = 10) explored barriers and enablers to adherence. Thematic analysis led to ten adherence related research hypotheses. These were tested by examining correlations between REACT programme attendance and physical function (Short Physical Performance Battery), self-rated physical function (mobility assessment tool-short form (MAT-sf)), dominant hand grip strength assessed by digital dynamometer, Ageing Well profile (social scale), process evaluation data at baseline (n = 411) and six-months (n = 348) and open-ended participant feedback at six-months (n = 307). Each participant response was scored -1) for a negative comment, 1 for positive or zero for no comment or balancing negative and positive comments. Results Higher adherence correlated with younger age (r=-0.162, p > 0.001), better physical function, both objectively measured (r = 0.118, p > 0.05) and self-rated (r = 0.134, p > 0.01), greater grip strength (r = 0.118, p > 0.05) and having less social contact (r=-0.134, p > 0.01), at baseline. It also correlated with an improvement in objectively measured physical function between baseline and six months (r = 0.200, p > 0.001). At 6-months enjoyment of the programme (r = 0.263, p > 0.001), specifically enjoyment of muscle-strengthening exercises (r = 0.142, p > 0.027), perception of positive social interactions (from questionnaire data (r = 0.212, p > 0.001) and open-ended feedback (r = 0.157, p > 0.01)) and perceptions of an autonomy-supportive teaching style (r = 0.213, p > 0.001) all correlated with higher adherence. Conclusions PA programmes for older adults should encourage the development of social connections and group cohesion but should take a flexible approach to avoid negatively affecting adherence amongst those with pre-existing high levels of social contact. Building confidence in PA and physical function as these improve during the programme, promoting enjoyment and utilising an autonomy-supportive leader teaching style are important in order to support adherence.