Lower Limb Strength and Power as Predictors of Brain Blood Flow During Exercise (LLSPP)

May 4, 2026 updated by: Linjun Liu, Lincoln University College

Lower Limb Muscle Strength and Power Predict Exercise-Induced Prefrontal Hemodynamic Response: An Interpretable Machine Learning Study Using fNIRS Data

This study aims to investigate the predictive value of lower limb muscle strength and explosive power on exercise-induced prefrontal hemodynamic responses. Using an interpretable machine learning framework (GCAT-Net), the research analyzes how various physical performance indicators-such as isokinetic muscle strength, 1RM leg press, and vertical jump metrics-can predict oxygenated hemoglobin (ΔHbO) changes in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during moderate-intensity cycling.

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.
256

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

  • Russia
      • Moscow, Russia, 117519
        • Moscow State University of Sport and Tourism

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:

  1. Healthy adults aged between 18.00 and 60.00 years.
  2. Must be able to perform standardized lower-limb physical assessments, including isokinetic strength testing and explosive power tests (e.g., CMJ, SJ, and 30m sprints).
  3. Capability to complete a 6-minute aerobic cycling task at a moderate intensity (60% VO_2max).
  4. Physically cleared for exercise as determined by a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q).
  5. Willingness to undergo functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) monitoring with a Scalp Coupling Index (SCI) ≥ 0.7.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. History of musculoskeletal injuries to the lower limbs within the past 6 months that would impede maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) or high-intensity efforts.
  2. Known cardiovascular, respiratory, or neurological conditions that contraindicate maximal exercise testing (VO_2max ramp protocol).
  3. Body Mass Index (BMI) or health status that prevents the safe completion of high-impact explosive power tests like the 30cm drop jump (RSI assessment).
  4. Presence of excessive motion artifacts or poor fNIRS signal quality, specifically a Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) < 5 dB or motion artifact frame ratio ≥$ 10%.

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: Basic Science
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

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.
Other: Standardized Physical Performance and Hemodynamic Observation Group
Observational Study Arm
Other: Standardized Lower-Limb Physical Performance Assessment and Aerobic Exercise Task
Participants undergo a comprehensive physiological and biomechanical assessment protocol divided into three phases. First, demographic and morphological data (Age, Sex, BMI, and Body Fat %) are collected, followed by a maximal oxygen consumption (VO_2max) test using a Bruce-modified ramp protocol on a cycle ergometer. Second, participants complete a standardized lower-limb neuromuscular battery, including isokinetic strength testing at 60°/s (peak torque for knee, hip, and ankle) via a Biodex System 4 Pro, a 1RM leg press, and explosive power assessments comprising Countermovement Jumps (CMJ), Squat Jumps (SJ), and 30m sprints. Finally, cortical hemodynamic activity is monitored using a 16-channel fNIRS system (NIRSport2) over the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) during a 6-minute constant-load cycling task at 60% VO_2max.

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
Area Under the Curve of Oxygenated Hemoglobin (Δ HbO AUC) during Aerobic Exercise
Time Frame: Measured during the 6-minute constant-load cycling task (60%VO_2max), which occurs approximately 120 minutes after the start of the experimental session.
Cortical hemodynamics are measured using the NIRSport2 fNIRS system over the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).
Measured during the 6-minute constant-load cycling task (60%VO_2max), which occurs approximately 120 minutes after the start of the experimental session.

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
Demographic and Morphological Baseline Profile
Time Frame: Baseline (Minutes 0-20 of the session).
Collection of foundational participant data including Age, Height (InBody H20N), Weight, BMI, and Body Fat % (InBody 770 via multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance). Resting Heart Rate (RHR) is recorded after 5 minutes of quiet rest.
Baseline (Minutes 0-20 of the session).
Isokinetic Neuromuscular Strength Battery
Time Frame: Post-baseline assessment (Minutes 30-60 of the session).
Evaluation of lower-limb strength using a Biodex System 4 Pro at an angular velocity of 60°/s. Metrics include peak torque for knee extension/flexion, hip extension, and ankle plantarflexion, as well as the 1RM leg press and Hamstring/Quadriceps (H:Q) ratio.
Post-baseline assessment (Minutes 30-60 of the session).
Explosive Power and Functional Performance Metric
Time Frame: Following isokinetic testing (Minutes 70-90 of the session).
Assessment of neuromuscular power through Countermovement Jump (CMJ), Squat Jump (SJ), Reactive Strength Index (RSI via 30cm drop jump), 30m sprint time, and standing long jump. Functional strength is measured using the Five Times Sit-to-Stand (FiveTSTS) test.
Following isokinetic testing (Minutes 70-90 of the session).
Peak Cardiorespiratory Capacity (VO_2max)
Time Frame: Final physical assessment before the hemodynamic task (Minutes 100-120 of the session).
Maximal oxygen consumption determined through a Bruce-modified ramp protocol (25 W starting load, increasing 25 W/min) on a cycle ergometer until volitional exhaustion.
Final physical assessment before the hemodynamic task (Minutes 100-120 of the session).

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.
Lincoln University College

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.
Wuhan Technical 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.
March 1, 2025

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.
March 15, 2025

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.
March 15, 2025

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).
May 4, 2026

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.
May 4, 2026

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.
May 8, 2026

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.
May 8, 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.
May 4, 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.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • WSUST-IRB-070225

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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