Handgrip Training and Brain Blood Flow Regulation

June 24, 2026 updated by: Joseph Watso, Florida State University
This study aims to investigate the effect of isometric handgrip training on brain blood vessel function in physically inactive adults. Isometric handgrip training is a promising strategy for lowering blood pressure and improving vascular health, but no previous investigations have studied the effect of training on markers of brain blood vessel function. Based on previous work showing improvements in vascular function after isometric handgrip training, we hypothesize that isometric handgrip training will improve key markers of cerebrovascular function.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

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.

Detailed Description

The incidence of cerebrovascular diseases is expected to increase. Early life sets the stage for vascular health outcomes later in life. Regular exercise is recommended for improving cerebrovascular health outcomes, but a lack of time or inadequate facilities are common exercise barriers. Not getting enough exercise is associated with worse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health outcomes. There is a critical need for time-efficient strategies that require minimal equipment for improving cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health. Isometric handgrip (IHG) training is an effective strategy for improving cardiovascular health. Despite IHG's usefulness for improving vascular health through blood pressure reductions and improvements in endothelial function, almost nothing is known about IHG training and cerebrovascular function. Therefore, this project aims to test the hypothesis that 8 weeks of IHG training will improve cerebrovascular blood flow regulation and total cerebrovascular blood flow among adult humans who are not meeting the physical activity recommendations. We will measure middle cerebral artery blood velocity (MCAv) via transcranial Doppler ultrasound and assess MCAv dynamic autoregulation and MCAv reactivity to high and low carbon dioxide. We will also measure total cerebral blood flow, central artery stiffness, and MCAv pulsatility index. Understanding the effect of IHG on cerebrovascular health could inform exercise recommendations.

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 (Estimated)

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.
40

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

  • United States
    • Florida
      • Tallahassee, Florida, United States, 32306
        • Recruiting
        • Florida State University
        • Contact:

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:

  • 18 to 35 years old
  • Body mass index ≤30 kg/m2 (without obesity)
  • Physically inactive (not meeting the current recommendations of ≥150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise and not ≥2 days per week of resistance training) in last 6 months
  • Have a smartphone and are willing to download mobile applications used in this project

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Having an overt chronic condition (e.g., cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, etc.)
  • Being pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding/lactating
  • Regular use of nicotine products in the past 6 months
  • Recent head injury/trauma or concussion

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: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

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: Isometric Handgrip Training - Intervention
Participants will perform moderate-intensity handgrip training three days per week for eight weeks using a handheld device.
Device: Handgrip Training
Handgrip training 3 days per week for 8 weeks
Sham Comparator: Isometric Handgrip Training - Sham
Participants will perform very low-intensity handgrip training three days per week for eight weeks using a handheld device.
Device: Handgrip Training
Handgrip training 3 days per week for 8 weeks

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
Change in middle cerebral artery blood velocity reactivity to hypercapnia
Time Frame: Up to 9 weeks
Middle cerebral artery blood velocity will be measured via transcranial Doppler ultrasound
Up to 9 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in middle cerebral artery blood velocity reactivity to hypocapnia
Time Frame: Up to 9 weeks
Middle cerebral artery blood velocity will be measured via transcranial Doppler ultrasound
Up to 9 weeks
Brachial systolic blood pressure
Time Frame: Up to 9 weeks
Blood pressure measured at the brachial artery
Up to 9 weeks
Change in dynamic cerebral autoregulation phase
Time Frame: Up to 9 weeks
Calculated from middle cerebral artery blood velocity signal using transfer function analysis
Up to 9 weeks
Change in dynamic cerebral autoregulation gain
Time Frame: Up to 9 weeks
Calculated from middle cerebral artery blood velocity signal using transfer function analysis
Up to 9 weeks
Change in total resting brain blood flow
Time Frame: Up to 9 weeks
Total brain blood flow measured in the internal carotid and vertebral arteries at rest via ultrasound
Up to 9 weeks
Middle cerebral artery blood velocity pulsatility index
Time Frame: Up to 9 weeks
Calculated from middle cerebral artery blood velocity signal
Up to 9 weeks

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.
Florida State University

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.
October 27, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
October 27, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
October 27, 2028

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).
October 30, 2025

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.
October 30, 2025

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 3, 2025

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.
June 25, 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.
June 24, 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.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.
  • STUDY00006271

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

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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