The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER)
Leaders
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Miia Kivipelto
ProfessorInstitute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences -
Tiia Ngandu
Research DirectorInstitute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
Contact persons
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Tiia Ngandu
Research DirectorInstitute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences -
Jenni Lehtisalo
Senior ResearcherInstitute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
FINGER was the first randomized controlled trial to show that a multidomain lifestyle intervention benefits cognition and reduces the risk of cognitive decline among older adults. In addition to cognitive benefits, the intervention also had positive effects on e.g., health-related quality of life, physical functioning, and cardiovascular health.
FINGER investigated the efficacy of a multidomain lifestyle intervention (including dietary guidance, physical activity, cognitive training, and monitoring and management of vascular/metabolic risk factors) vs. control (general health advice). Participants were 1259 older adults at risk of dementia but without substantial cognitive impairment. The active intervention took place in 2009-2014 and lasted for 2 years. Follow-up studies were conducted at 5, 7, and 11 years after baseline. Data analysis is ongoing to e.g., clarify the long-term effects of the intervention and to study the biological mechanisms of cognitive decline.
Following the success of FINGER, the World Wide (WW)-FINGERS initiative was launched, to facilitate global collaboration in dementia prevention.
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FINGER was launched with funding from the Academy of Finland SALVE programme, and throughout the entire study period it has received funding from multiple sources.
The funders, listed in alphabetical order, are: Alzheimerfonden (Sweden); Alzheimer’s Association; Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation; Center for Innovative Medicine (CIMED), Karolinska Institutet; Diabetes Research Foundation (Finland); EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND); EVO/VTR funding (Kuopio, Oulu, Turku, Seinäjoki); Jalmari and Rauha Ahokas Foundation; Juho Vainio Foundation; Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela); Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (Sweden); La Carita Foundation; NordForsk; Novo Nordisk Foundation; Ministry of Education and Culture (Finland); Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation; Sigrid Jusélius Foundation; Stiftelsen Stockholm Sjukhem (Sweden); Academy of Finland; Finnish Cultural Foundation; Finnish Medical Foundation; Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet); Wilhelm and Else Stockmann Foundation; and the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation.
In addition, individual researchers have received personal funding from other foundations.
Keywords
Leaders
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Miia Kivipelto
ProfessorInstitute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences -
Tiia Ngandu
Research DirectorInstitute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
Professors
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Miia Kivipelto
ProfessorInstitute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences -
Alina Solomon
ProfessorInstitute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
Senior Researchers
Post-doctoral Researchers
Contact persons
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Tiia Ngandu
Research DirectorInstitute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences -
Jenni Lehtisalo
Senior ResearcherInstitute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
Data Scientist
Publications
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Preserved muscle function as a protective factor against cognitive decline: Longitudinal results from the FINGER study
Borda, Miguel German; Lehtisalo, Jenni; Hara‐Veintimilla, Kevin O’; RamírezVélez, Robinson; BoteroRodriguez, Felipe; PatricioBaldera, Jonathan; Ngandu, Tiia; Solomon, Alina; Mangialasche, Francesca; Pérez‐Zepeda, Mario Ulises; Aarsland, Dag; Kivipelto, Miia, 2026, Alzheimer's & dementia, 22, 1, 1-11. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Adherence and intensity in multimodal lifestyle-based interventions for cognitive decline prevention: state-of-the-art and future directions
Soldevila-Domenech, Natalia; Ayala-Garcia, Amaia; Barbera, Mariagnese; Lehtisalo, Jenni; Forcano, Laura; Diaz-Ponce, Ana; Zwan, Marissa; van der Flier, Wiesje M.; Ngandu, Tiia; Kivipelto, Miia; Solomon, Alina; de la Torre, Rafael, 2025, Alzheimer's research and therapy, 17, 1, 61. A2 Review article, Literature review, Systematic review -
Associations of Prediabetes, Diabetes and Glucose‐Related Markers With Cognition and Neuroimaging in a 2‐Year Multidomain Lifestyle Randomised Controlled Trial
Lorenzo, Thais; Ngandu, Tiia; Lehtisalo, Jenni; Antikainen, Riitta; Gispert, Juan Domingo; Kemppainen, Nina; Laatikainen, Tiina; Lindström, Jaana; Rinne, Juha; Soininen, Hilkka; Strandberg, Timo; Torre, Rafael de la; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Solomon, Alina; Kivipelto, Miia, 2025, Diabetes/metabolism research and reviews, 41, 5, e70053. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Brain patterns and risk factors in the FINGER RCT multimodal lifestyle intervention
Lorenzon, Giulia; Marseglia, Anna; Mohanty, Rosaleena; Lehtisalo, Jenni; Poulakis, Konstantinos; Ngandu, Tiia; Solomon, Alina; Kivipelto, Miia; Westman, Eric, 2025, The Journal of prevention of Alzheimer's disease, 12, 10, 100390. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Cardiovascular and glucose-lowering medication use among older adults: results from 9-year follow-up of the FINGER trial
Sääskilahti, Maria; Aarnio, Emma; Levälahti, Esko; Lehtisalo, Jenni; Kivipelto, Miia; Strandberg, Timo; Antikainen, Riitta; Soininen, Hilkka; Laatikainen, Tiina; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Solomon, Alina; Mangialasche, Francesca; Ngandu, Tiia, 2025, European geriatric medicine, [Published: 03 December 2025], 1-13. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Changes in older persons’ lifestyle and perceived health over time and during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings from the extended follow-up of the FINGER randomized controlled trial from 2009 to 2020
Lehtisalo, Jenni; Sääskilahti, Maria; Härkänen, Tommi; Kulmala, Jenni; Hemiö, Katri; Siltanen, Sini; Zhi, Zhou; Mangialasche, Francesca; Laatikainen, Tiina; Strandberg, Timo; Antikainen, Riitta; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Soininen, Hilkka; Kivipelto, Miia; Ngandu, Tiia, 2025, Bmc geriatrics, 25, 1, 308. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Effects of multidomain lifestyle intervention on frailty among older men and women – a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial
Saarela, Laura; Lehtisalo, Jenni; Ngandu, Tiia; Kyrönlahti, Saila; Havulinna, Satu; Strandberg, Timo; Levälahti, Esko; Antikainen, Riitta; Soininen, Hilkka; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Laatikainen, Tiina; Kivipelto, Miia; Kulmala, Jenni, 2025, Annals of medicine, 57, 1, 2446699. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
From dementia prevention research to global FINGER-based multi-domain interventions and implementation strategies
Sindi, Shireen; Näsholm, Manasa Shanta; Barbera, Mariagnese; Thunborg, Charlotta; Li, Yunfei; Jönsson, Linus; Mangialasche, Francesca; Qiu, Chengxuan; Kivipelto, Miia, 2025, Cerebral circulation, cognition and behavior, 9, 100385. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Impact of frailty status on the effect of a multidomain lifestyle intervention on cognition
Pöyhönen, Johanna; Lehtisalo, Jenni; Roitto, Hanna-Maria; Levälahti, Esko; Strandberg, Timo; Kivipelto, Miia; Kulmala, Jenni; Antikainen, Riitta; Soininen, Hilkka; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Laatikainen, Tiina; Ngandu, Tiia, 2025, Age and ageing, 54, 2, afaf041. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Impaired sleep, depressive symptoms, and pain as determinants of physical activity and exercise intervention adherence: an exploratory analysis of a randomized clinical trial
Kekkonen, Eija; Hall, Anette; Antikainen, Riitta; Havulinna, Satu; Kivipelto, Miia; Kulmala, Jenni; Laatikainen, Tiina; Paajanen, Teemu I; Sindi, Shireen; Soininen, Hilkka; Strandberg, Timo; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Ngandu, Tiia; Solomon, Alina, 2025, Bmc geriatrics, 25, 1, 211. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research