Optimising Exercise to Improve Physical and Cognitive Frailty in Mild Cognitive Impairment

May 17, 2026 updated by: Shazlin Shaharudin, Universiti Sains Malaysia

This investigational research aims to understand the mechanism of delaying the progression of dementia through different types of exercise. Exercise plays a protective role by attenuating the progression of cognitive impairments in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an early and reversible stage of dementia. However, how different types of exercise induce changes in physical frailty and cognitive function is understudied. The participants will be randomized to receive an exercise intervention program (cycling or strength training) for 12 weeks or a control group.

The participants will be asked to perform certain cognitive and physical assessments at the start of the study, at the end of 12 weeks of exercise intervention, and 4 weeks after the end of the intervention. Below is the list of the assessments:

  • Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
  • World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0-12)
  • Self-report on sociodemographic characteristics, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, educational level, smoking status, alcohol intake, comorbidities, chronic medications, social activities, history of falls
  • body height, weight and fat percentage, heart rate, blood pressure, Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) scan: measurements to evaluate overall physical characteristics
  • handgrip strength: to evaluate musculoskeletal function
  • Stroop test: to evaluate information processing speed and executive cognitive control
  • n-back task: to evaluate working memory and executive function
  • Timed Up and Go (TUG) test: to measure balance
  • single-task gait: to measure walking ability
  • double-task gait: to measure walking stability and attention

During Stroop test, n-back task, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, single-task gait and double-task gait, the participants will be equipped with a mobile functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) device over their forehead. This device is used to detect changes in blood flow in the front area of the brain.

Their participation will last approximately 18 weeks (2 weeks of familiarization and assessment, 12 weeks of exercise intervention, and 4 weeks of follow-up).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet 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.

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.
36

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, 637616
        • National Institute of Education
        • Contact:
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Shazlin Shaharudin, PhD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Angela Frances Hui Wen Yap, PhD, MD

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
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion criteria:

  1. males and females aged 60 until 85
  2. living in the community,
  3. confirmed diagnosis of MCI
  4. able to walk without assistance for at least two minutes,
  5. able to participate in exercise intervention screened by a physician based on ACSM guidelines

Exclusion criteria:

  1. uncertain diagnosis of MCI,
  2. did not screen for ability to participate in exercise intervention,
  3. presence of other neurological, psychiatric, or cognitive impairment disorders,
  4. seriously ill, presence of Hepatitis B or C, cancer, and patients on immunosuppressant drugs,
  5. type 2 diabetes mellitus,
  6. uncontrolled hypertension or hypotension (systolic blood pressure >160 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure >100 mm Hg at rest),
  7. unstable cardiac, renal, lung, liver, or other severe chronic disease,
  8. history of myocardial infarction and/or stroke within previous year,
  9. vision/hearing disorder,
  10. musculoskeletal disorders that affect physical function such as osteoporosis, severe knee osteoarthritis, and degenerative spinal condition,
  11. presence of any major psychiatric disorder (a clinical diagnosis of major depressive disorder, bipolar or schizophrenia)
  12. history of vitamin B12 deficiency or hypothyroidism (stable treatment for at least 3 months is allowed)
  13. serious or non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture

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: Double

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: Resistance exercise
There are 4 lower limb exercises namely seated knee extension, plantar flexion through calf raises, hip abduction by moving the straight leg sideways, and hip extension by moving the straight leg backwards. The three standing exercises will be conducted while the participants hold on to a chair. Exercise intensity will be increased gradually by increasing the number of repetitions and by affixing weights around the ankles. All participants will start with 3 sets of 8 repetitions for each leg without weights. When a participant performs an exercise with ease, the number of repetitions will be increased to 10 in the next session, and 12 in the session thereafter. When a participant can correctly perform 12 repetitions without weights, at RPE <12, a weight of 0.5 kg will be attached to their ankles. Each exercise session will end with 5-min stretching. HR will be monitored and recorded continuously during exercise session.
Other: Exercise training
Participation will last approximately 18 weeks (2 weeks of familiarization and assessment, 12 weeks of exercise intervention, and 4 weeks of follow-up). Participants will be randomized into three groups, either cycling group, strength training group or control group. Those in the cycling group and strength training group will undergo exercise intervention for about 2 sessions per week for 12 weeks (total 24 times) and will be followed for 4 weeks. The study will involve 28 visits. All groups will continue usual care at Singapore General Hospital. The control group will have usual care only during the duration of this study.
Experimental: Aerobic exercise

The aerobic group will perform moderate intensity walking sessions indoors. The targeted exercise intensity corresponds to 50-60% of the individual heart rate reserve (HRR, HRmax-HRresting) during the first two weeks and 70-75% of the HRR for the remainder of the program (Tsai et al., 2019). HRmax for male will be determined from equation based on Gellish et al., (2007) = 207-0.7(age), HRmax for female will be determined from equation based on Gulati et al., (2010) = 206-0.88(age). Resting heart rate will be determined based on the first visit (baseline assessment) and verified prior to start of each exercise session.

Each aerobic exercise session involved a 5-minute warm-up period, followed by 30 minutes of continuous brisk walking at an intensity that would maintain the heart rate within the assigned training range, followed by 5 minutes of stretching. If rest is requested, an appropriate rest period will be included in the 30-minute walk session.
Other: Exercise training
Participation will last approximately 18 weeks (2 weeks of familiarization and assessment, 12 weeks of exercise intervention, and 4 weeks of follow-up). Participants will be randomized into three groups, either cycling group, strength training group or control group. Those in the cycling group and strength training group will undergo exercise intervention for about 2 sessions per week for 12 weeks (total 24 times) and will be followed for 4 weeks. The study will involve 28 visits. All groups will continue usual care at Singapore General Hospital. The control group will have usual care only during the duration of this study.
No Intervention: Control
The control group will continue their usual care from Singapore General Hospital during the period of this study

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
Cerebral blood flow
Time Frame: Before 12-week intervention, immediately after 12-week intervention, and 4 weeks after intervention has ended
Participants will be equipped with a mobile functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) device over their forehead. This device is used to detect changes in blood flow in the front area of the brain. Unit: the standard physiological units for brain perfusion: milliliters of blood per 100 grams of brain tissue per minute. Higher values indicate greater perfusion
Before 12-week intervention, immediately after 12-week intervention, and 4 weeks after intervention has ended

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
Cognitive function
Time Frame: Before 12-week intervention, immediately after 12-week intervention, and 4 weeks after intervention has ended
Montreal Cognitive Assessment test: scores for mild cognitive impairment is from 19 to 25. Higher scores indicate worse cognitive function
Before 12-week intervention, immediately after 12-week intervention, and 4 weeks after intervention has ended
Physical function
Time Frame: Before 12-week intervention, immediately after 12-week intervention, and 4 weeks after intervention has ended
Timed Up and Go test: to measure balance. Unit: time in seconds. Lower values indicate better mobility and balance
Before 12-week intervention, immediately after 12-week intervention, and 4 weeks after intervention has ended
Physical characteristic
Time Frame: Before 12-week intervention, immediately after 12-week intervention, and 4 weeks after intervention has ended
Body fat percentage. Unit: percentage (%). Higher values indicate greater proportion of fat mass in the body composition
Before 12-week intervention, immediately after 12-week intervention, and 4 weeks after intervention has ended
Level of depression
Time Frame: Before 12-week intervention, immediately after 12-week intervention, and 4 weeks after intervention has ended
Patient Health Questionnaire-9 is a 9-item tool used to screen for and measure the severity of depression. Each item is scored on a scale from 0 (Not at all) to 3 (Nearly every day). Minimum Score: 0 (Indicates no depressive symptoms). Maximum Score: 27 (Indicates severe depression)
Before 12-week intervention, immediately after 12-week intervention, and 4 weeks after intervention has ended
Level of disability
Time Frame: Before 12-week intervention, immediately after 12-week intervention, and 4 weeks after intervention has ended
The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule measures general health and disability. Each 12 individual items are rated from 0 (None) to 4 (Extreme or cannot do). Minimum Score: 0 (No functional disability) Maximum Score: 48 (Full/maximum functional disability)
Before 12-week intervention, immediately after 12-week intervention, and 4 weeks after intervention has ended

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Sociodemographic
Time Frame: Before 12-week intervention
• Self-report on sociodemographic characteristics, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, educational level, smoking status, alcohol intake, comorbidities, chronic medications, social activities, history of falls
Before 12-week intervention

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.
Universiti Sains Malaysia

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.
Singapore General Hospital
National Institute of Education, Singapore

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 (Estimated)

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.
July 1, 2026

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.
December 31, 2028

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.
December 31, 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).
February 9, 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 17, 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 20, 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 20, 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 17, 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

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.
  • IRB-2025-838

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Data confidentiality Human subjects participation in this study will involve the collection, use and disclosure of data / health information in an individually identifiable form (or "Personal Data"). "Personal Data" means data about the participants, which makes them identifiable from (i) such data, and/or from (ii) other information which we have or likely have access to. This includes written, visual, video, audio data/recordings, medical conditions, medications, investigations and treatment history.

Personal Data and data collected for this study will be kept confidential and stored for a minimum of 10 years in a secure environment within NTU. Access will be restricted to the Principal Investigator, study team members, and School Administrators. The records, to the extent of the applicable laws and regulations, will not be made publicly available, in accordance with the NTU Privacy Statement.

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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