Neurophysiological Mechanisms of Physical Activity Interventions in Unique Environments

This randomized intervention is designed to compare the influence of physical activity in natural and urban environments on cognitive and physical health. Half of the participants will participate in a six-week physical activity class based in a natural environment, and half of the participants will participate in a six-week physical activity class based in an indoor environment. The investigators hypothesize the nature-based intervention will produce lower cognitive fatigue (measured using neurophysiological measurements), better cognitive performance (measured using cognitive assessments), and increased physical fitness (measuring using fitness testing).

Study Overview

• Status: Withdrawn
• Conditions: Physical Activity; Environmental Exposure
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Physical Activity

Detailed Description

Research has yet to determine how regular physical activity in different environments influences physical and cognitive performance. Studies show exposure to natural environments can improve cognitive performance, increase creative thinking, and decrease stress-related responses. According to the theory of attention restoration, exposure to natural environments restores attentional resources because nature contains specific qualities that allow for directed attention to replenish and endorses health-related behaviors such as walking, running, and biking. Nature exposure is hypothesized to decrease activation of neural networks involved in cognitive control, therefore allowing for restoration of resources to occur. Activation of the cognitive control network is reflected through increased power of theta frequency (4-8 Hz) at the midfrontal regions (measured using electroencephalography; EEG), which reflects cognitive fatigue during rest. Previous research shows spending time in nature decreases midfrontal theta power, therefore reducing rumination and cognitive fatigue. Likewise, event-related potentials, such as higher P3 amplitude and shorter P3 latency during tasks, indicate better attentional allocation and processing speed, indicating better cognitive processing. These neurophysiological measurements are indicative of cognitive restoration and can determine changes in cognitive functioning over time.

The investigators propose to collect measurements of electroencephalography (spectral EEG, task-evoked event-related potentials), behavioral cognitive assessments (cognitive control, working memory performance), and health factors (VO2max) using a 2 (nature or urban physical activity intervention) x 2 (baseline and post-intervention sessions) design to determine changes in cognitive functioning across time. As part of an ongoing investigation in the cognitive and physical influence of intervention strategies, physical activity interventions will take place for a 6-week period, and participants will be recruited across three intervals of testing. Trained fitness instructors will lead participants in regularly scheduled 45-minute aerobic-based physical activity sessions three times a week. Each session will involve a combination of walking and running that progressively increases the duration of intensity throughout the 6-week period, starting at 20-minutes of moderate-to-vigorous training during the first week, and increasing duration by 5-minute intervals. Intervention groups will differ based on the location of the intervention. The nature-based intervention sessions will occur outdoors in a local public park in the Boston area. The urban-based intervention sessions will occur indoors in the Center for Cognitive & Brain Health intervention activity rooms.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 30 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• sedentary (1 or less exercise sessions per week)
• physically healthy
• normal or corrected-to-normal vision
• normal or corrected-to-normal hearing

Exclusion Criteria:

• currently treated for a neurological disorder
• currently treated for a physical health problem

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Nature Exposure; 6-week physical activity course in a natural environment	Behavioral: Physical Activity; Six weeks of instructor-led physical activity sessions.
Active Comparator: Urban Exposure; 6-week physical activity course in an urban environment	Behavioral: Physical Activity; Six weeks of instructor-led physical activity sessions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline in spectral electroencephalography assessment at six weeks	Power at the midfrontal theta frequency	six weeks from start of intervention
Changes from baseline in event-related potentials at six weeks	Stimulus-locked P3 component associated with the flanker task	six weeks from start of intervention
Changes from baseline in cognitive assessment reaction time at six weeks	Reaction time on cognitive task	six weeks from start of intervention
Changed from baseline in cardio-respiratory fitness assessment at six weeks	VO2max performance	six weeks from start of intervention
Changes from baseline in cognitive assessment accuracy at six weeks	Accuracy score on cognitive task (0-100% score, higher accuracy is better)	six weeks from start of intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Accelerometry	number of steps and intensity of each session	19 days
Heart rate	average and max heart rate of each session	19 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Northeastern University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Charles Hillman, Northeastern University; Principal Investigator: Arthur Kramer, Northeastern University

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Center for Cognitive and Brain Health

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Anticipated): April 15, 2019
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): October 31, 2019
• Study Completion (Anticipated): May 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 3, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 17, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): April 18, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 21, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 19, 2019
• Last Verified: August 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Physical Activity; Health Behavior; Cognitive Change; Environmental Exposure
• Other Study ID Numbers: NortheasternU

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: De-identified individual participant data for all primary and secondary outcome measures will be made available.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Data will be available within 6 months of study completion.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Data access requests will be reviewed by an external Independent Review Panel. Requestors will be required to sign a Data Access Agreement.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP; ICF; CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No