Dual-task Exercise in People With Cognitive Impairment

Dynamic Neurovascular and Cognitive Response to Dual-task Exercise in People With Cognitive Impairment

The purpose of this study is to explore how performing two exercise-based tasks simultaneously (dual-task exercise) affects the neurovascular and cognitive responses of people with cognitive impairment, which is a growing concern globally. Specifically, the study will examine how motor-cognitive dual-task exercises, such as using elastic resistance bands combined with visual perception training, including eye movement exercises, can immediately improve outcomes such as Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, cerebral blood flow, cognitive function, and mobility. BDNF is a special chemical in our brain that helps with the connections between brain cells. Participants will be asked to complete a single 30-minute exercise session and undergo assessments before and after the intervention. Participants with cognitive impairment will be initially assessed using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) which is a 30-point questionnaire used extensively in clinical and research settings to measure cognitive impairment. Any score of 24 or more (out of 30) indicates normal cognition. Below this, scores can indicate severe (≤9 points), moderate (10-18 points), or mild (19-23 points) cognitive impairment. Participants with lower MMSE scores (<10) will be removed from the study.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Dementia; Mild Cognitive Impairment; Older Adults
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Dual-task exercise traning

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Leicestershire
    • Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom, LE11 3TU
      • Loughborough University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age >65 (PwD or cognitively impaired older adults) (ICD-10)
• People with and without cognitive impairment (MMSE score 13-30)
• Subjects must be able to exercise at a moderate intensity level (see exclusion criteria)
• Subject must be willing and able to provide a blood sample

Exclusion Criteria:

• • Subjects with other neurological disease (stroke, Parkinson's, or multiple sclerosis)

  • Significant current orthopaedic (fractures, hemiplegia, pain, arthritis etc.), cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions (arrhythmias, uncontrolled hypertension, acute bronchitis, cardiac insufficiency etc.) that would limit the ability to perform cardio-respiratory fitness assessment, tasks or exercise
  • Psychiatric conditions (depression, anxiety disorder, etc.) and a history of severe psychiatric disorders (schizoaffective/bipolar disorders, or schizophrenia)
  • Severe vision/hearing impairments that cannot be corrected with aids
  • Unable to comprehend questionnaire material study procedures

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Dual-task group; . The motor-cognitive dual-task group will be additionally asked to do horizontal eye movements by watching a TV screen and following a duck moving from side to side (bilateral condition) while performing strengthening exercises. only one session 30 mins.	Other: Dual-task exercise traning; To assess the dynamic effects of each intervention, only one session (30 mins) will be provided. The chair-based exercise session consists of three parts 5 min of active stretching exercises to warm-up, 20 mins of resistance band exercises in a sitting position (Elliott-King et al., 2019) (please see the link for detailed descriptions for seated resistance band workout) and 5 min of passive stretching exercises to cold down. The motor-cognitive dual-task group will be additionally asked to do horizontal eye movements by watching a TV screen and following a duck moving from side to side (bilateral condition) while performing strengthening exercises. The duck moves successively between left and right banks of a river at a rate of 500 ms (Brunyé et al., 2009) which was previously found to improve cognitive function
Active Comparator: eye movement exercise group; asked to do horizontal eye movements by watching a TV screen and following a duck moving from side to side (bilateral condition) while performing strengthening exercises. The duck moves successively between left and right banks of a river at a rate of 500 ms (Brunyé et al., 2009) which was previously found to improve cognitive function. only one session 30 mins.	Other: Dual-task exercise traning; To assess the dynamic effects of each intervention, only one session (30 mins) will be provided. The chair-based exercise session consists of three parts 5 min of active stretching exercises to warm-up, 20 mins of resistance band exercises in a sitting position (Elliott-King et al., 2019) (please see the link for detailed descriptions for seated resistance band workout) and 5 min of passive stretching exercises to cold down. The motor-cognitive dual-task group will be additionally asked to do horizontal eye movements by watching a TV screen and following a duck moving from side to side (bilateral condition) while performing strengthening exercises. The duck moves successively between left and right banks of a river at a rate of 500 ms (Brunyé et al., 2009) which was previously found to improve cognitive function
No Intervention: control; listening a podcast. only one session 30 mins.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
BDNF serum level	Blood samples will be drawn from the antecubital vein by venepuncture in dry vacuum tubes immediately before the beginning of the exercise training and within 5 min from the termination of the exercise session. Serum will be obtained by the centrifugation of blood (2,000 g for 10 min, 4°C) and then all serum samples will be stored at -80°C until analysis (Máderová et al., 2019).	before and immediately after treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Visual screening	visual processing speed	before and immediately after treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Loughborough University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 30, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 30, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 25, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 25, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): April 29, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 29, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 25, 2024
• Last Verified: April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurocognitive Disorders; Cognition Disorders; Cognitive Dysfunction
• Other Study ID Numbers: LoughboroughUni

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: No