AI-CONECT: A Conversational AI for Early Dementia Prevention in Socially-Isolated Older Adults

Summary

This randomized controlled trial examines the mechanisms of conversational AI-based interventions for early dementia prevention in socially isolated older adults.

Interventions

• AI-based conversational intervention · BEHAVIORAL

  AI-based one-on-one semi-structured conversation for cognitive stimulation

Published eligibility criteria

Verbatim from the registry. Only the site can decide how these apply to a specific patient.

Inclusion Criteria:

* Aged 75+
* Clinical diagnosis of MCI (any subtype) or, when a clinical diagnosis is unavailable, a Telephone-MoCA (T-MoCA) score of 15-17.
* Identified as socially isolated, defined as meeting both of the following self-reported criteria: (a) lives alone in one's own residence, and (b) engages in conversations lasting 30 minutes or longer no more than twice per week.
* GDS-15 (15-item Geriatric Depression Scale) at/below 9 (not severely depressed).
* Social self-efficacy mean ≤ 8 (on the 0-10 scale) across the 6-item Social Self-Efficacy Scale at screening, indicating low confidence in social interaction.
* Ability to understand the research consent form.
* Ability to connect a tablet to the Internet.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosed with dementia such as AD, ischemic vascular dementia, normal pressure hydrocephalus, or Parkinson's disease.
* Schizophrenia, or other major psychiatric disorder defined by DSM-IV criteria.
* Medications: (a) Frequent use of high doses of analgesics; Use of sedative medications except for those used occasionally for sleep (≤2 per week); (b) Use of unstable dosing of Cholinesterase inhibitors (need to be stable dosing for 2 months); (c) AD disease modifying monoclonal antibody treatment e.g., aducanumab or lecanemab (completed the treatment is allowed)

Sites (1)

• Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts