Effects of Light Intensity Physical Activities on Pre-frontal Cortical Activation, Cognitive Function, Sleepiness and Back Pain

April 13, 2026 updated by: Chia Yong Hwa Michael

Investigating the Acute Effects of Light Intensity Physical Activities on Pre-frontal Cortical Activation, Cognitive Function, Sleepiness and Back Pain Among Physically Inactive University Students

The objective of this randomised controlled trial is to examine the acute effects of two novel light intensity exercise (sit-cycling and stand-twisting) on prefrontal cortical blood oxygenation, executive functioning, sleepiness and back pain among inactive university students.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • What are the changes in oxygenated haemoglobin (O2Hb) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (HHb) levels in the prefrontal cortex from baseline to immediately after and 20 minutes after a 5-min bout of S-C and S-T compared to sitting for the same duration?
  • What are the changes in executive functioning, specifically, n-back test and Word Colour Stroop test performance from baseline to immediately after and 20 minutes after a bout of S-C and S-T compared to sitting for the same duration?
  • How does participants' self-rated daytime sleepiness and back pain after a bout of S-C and S-T compare to sitting for the same duration?

Participants will:

  • Perform sit-cycling or stand-twisting for 5 mins (experimental condition) and sit for 5 mins (control condition)
  • Wear the functional near-infrared spectroscopy cap on their head throughout the measurements
  • Complete 1-back, 2-back test and Word Colour Stroop before, immediately after and 20 minutes after experimental/ control condition
  • Have their blood pressure, heart rate taken by a smartwatch
  • Complete a daytime sleepiness questionnaire and a back pain questionnaire

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
23

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Singapore
    • Singapore
      • Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
        • Block 5 Physical Education and Sport Science

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • NTU-NIE university student, between 21 and 30 years old, do not meet physical activity guidelines (150 mins of weekly MVPA)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • taking blood-pressure lowering medication
  • physically active (150 mins or more of weekly MVPA)
  • deemed not physically fit to participate in physical activity based on responses to Get Active Questionnaire

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Sit-cycling
Sit-cycling on a seat-cycle for 5 mins
Other: Sit-cycling
Sit-cycling for 5 mins
Experimental: Stand-twisting
Stand-twisting on a stand-twister for 5 mins
Other: Stand-twisting
Stand-twisting for 5 mins
No Intervention: Sitting only
Sitting only for 5 mins

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
1-back test accuracy (%)
Time Frame: Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Number of correct trials (correct recall)
Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
1-back test reaction time (ms)
Time Frame: Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Average reaction time across trials
Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
2-back test accuracy (%)
Time Frame: Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Number of correct trials (correct recall)
Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
2-back test reaction time (ms)
Time Frame: Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Average reaction time across trials
Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Colour Word Stroop test accuracy (congruent) (%)
Time Frame: Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Number of correct trials recall
Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Colour Word Stroop test accuracy (incongruent) (%)
Time Frame: Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Number of correct trials recall
Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Colour Word Stroop test reaction time (congruent) (ms)
Time Frame: Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Average reaction time across trials
Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Colour Word Stroop test reaction time (incongruent) (ms)
Time Frame: Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Average reaction time across trials
Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
pre-frontal cortical oxygenated hemoglobin levels (micrometre)
Time Frame: Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
measured by functional near infrared spectroscopy
Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
pre-frontal cortical deoxygenated hemoglobin levels (micrometre)
Time Frame: Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
measured by functional near infrared spectroscopy
Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Chia Yong Hwa Michael

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Sendai University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 11, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
November 21, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 21, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 25, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 16, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 13, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • NanyangTU

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data constitute as personal data. Under the Singapore Personal Data Protection Act, it is mandatory that individually identifiable data are to be kept confidential.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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