Resistance Training to Individuals for Cognitive Impairment With Dementia

Official title

Effects of Different Resistance Training Volumes on Cognitive Function, Oxidative Stress, Immunological Response, Lipid Profile, Glycemic Status, Liver Function, Muscle Function, Hemodynamic Response, and Physical Performance in Individuals With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Overview

This research project aims to analyze the effects of different resistance training volumes on cognitive function, oxidative stress, immunological response, lipid profile, glycemic status, liver function, muscle function, hemodynamic response, and physical performance in individuals with mild cognitive impairment. First the investigators will analyze the effects of a single resistance training session (acute effects) with one and three sets on hemodynamic and physical performance in individuals with mild cognitive impairment. After, the investigators will analyze the effects of an 8-week resistance training program with one or three sets on cognitive function, oxidative stress, immunological response, lipid profile, glycemic status, liver function, muscle function, hemodynamic response, and physical performance in individuals with mild cognitive impairment. The investigators hypothesize that a single resistance training session of one or three sets will increase the acute hemodynamic and physical performance stress in individuals with mild cognitive impairment, although with a higher magnitude in the session with three sets. Furthermore, we hypothesize that eight weeks of resistance training with one or three sets will induce similar improvements in cognitive function, oxidative stress, immunological response, lipid profile, glycemic status, liver function, muscle function, hemodynamic response, and physical performance in individuals with mild cognitive impairment.

Detailed description

Following specific inclusion and exclusion criteria (see Eligibility Criteria), participants will be recruited from residential care facilities or day centers. For the acute effects study (cross-over study), participants will randomly perform two resistance training sessions separated by one week of rest: i) one session with one set and ii) another session of three sets. The intensity of the exercises, number of repetitions, type and order of exercises, movement velocity, and rest time between exercises will be the same in both groups. Before, immediately after, and 72 hours after the sessions, a battery of tests will be applied to evaluate the changes in blood pressure, heart rate, tympanic temperature, medicine ball throw distance, five-repetition sit-to-stand time, and handgrip strength. Afterward, participants will be randomly assigned into a one-set or three-set group to perform an eight-week resistance training intervention. As for the acute effects study, the prescription of the other acute training variables will be the same for both groups. A control group (without any form of physical exercise), recruited at the beginning of the research project, will also be part of the study. Before and after the intervention, a battery of tests will be applied to determine the training program's impact on cognitive function, oxidative stress, immunological response, lipid profile, glycemic status, liver function, muscle function, hemodynamic response, and physical performance in individuals with mild cognitive impairment.

Interventions

• Other One Resistance Training Set (Single Session)
  The participants will perform a resistance training session with one set per exercise. The training sequence will be the following: i) 10 minutes of warm-up walking on the treadmill at 50% of maximal walking velocity, ii) 1 set of 10 repetitions at 60% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) in the leg press, iii) 1 set of 10 repetitions at 55% 1RM in the chest press, iv) 1 set of 10 repetitions in the sit-to-stand exercise, v) 1 set of 10 repetitions in the 1-kg medicine ball throw exercise, and vi) 5
• Other Three Resistance Training Sets (Single Session)
  The participants will perform a resistance training session with three sets per exercise. The training sequence will be the following: i) 10 minutes of warm-up walking on the treadmill at 50% of maximal walking velocity, ii) 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 60% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) in the leg press, iii) 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 55% 1RM in the chest press, iv) 3 sets of 10 repetitions in the sit-to-stand exercise, v) 3 sets of 10 repetitions in the 1-kg medicine ball throw exercise, and
• Other One Resistance Training Set (8 Weeks)
  The participants will perform eight weeks of resistance training with one set per exercise. The training sequence will be the following: i) 10 minutes of warm-up walking on the treadmill at 50% of maximal walking velocity, ii) 1 set of 10 repetitions between 50-70% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) in the leg press, iii) 1 set of 10 repetitions between 40-60% 1RM in the chest press, iv) 1 set of 6-12 repetitions in the sit-to-stand exercise, v) 1 set of 6-12 repetitions in the 1-kg medicine ball t
• Other Three Resistance Training Sets (8 Weeks)
  The participants will perform eight weeks of resistance training with three sets per exercise. The training sequence will be the following: i) 10 minutes of warm-up walking on the treadmill at 50% of maximal walking velocity, ii) 3 sets of 10 repetitions between 50-70% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) in the leg press, iii) 3 sets of 10 repetitions between 40-60% 1RM in the chest press, iv) 3 sets of 6-12 repetitions in the sit-to-stand exercise, v) 3 sets of 6-12 repetitions in the 1-kg medicine
• Other Control (8 Weeks)
  The participants in the control group will maintain their regular daily activities without performing any form of physical exercise.

Primary outcome measures

• Systolic blood pressure (SBP) [Time frame: Change from baseline to 0 minutes and 72 hours after the sessions]
• Handgrip strength (HGS) [Time frame: Change from baseline to 0 minutes and 72 hours after the sessions]
• Dementia Rating Scale-2 (DRS-2) [Time frame: Change from baseline to week 8]
• Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) [Time frame: Change from baseline to week 8]
• Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) [Time frame: Change from baseline until week 8]

Secondary outcome measures (12)

• Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) [Time frame: Change from baseline to 0 minutes and 72 hours after the sessions]
• Heart rate (HR) [Time frame: Change from baseline to 0 minutes and 72 hours after the sessions]
• Tympanic temperature (TT) [Time frame: Change from baseline to 0 minutes and 72 hours after the sessions]
• Five-repetition sit-to-stand (5STS) [Time frame: Change from baseline to 0 minutes and 72 hours after the sessions]
• 1-kg Medicine Ball Throw (MBT) [Time frame: Change from baseline to 0 minutes and 72 hours after the sessions]
• Inflammatory markers [Time frame: Change from baseline to week 8]
• Oxidative stress [Time frame: Change from baseline to week 8]
• Lipid Profile [Time frame: Change from baseline to week 8]
• HbA1c [Time frame: Change from baseline to week 8]
• Muscle Damage [Time frame: Change from baseline to week 8]
• One-repetition maximum (1RM) [Time frame: Change from baseline to week 8]
• Load-velocity profiles [Time frame: Change from baseline to week 8]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Clinical diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment
• SPPB score ≥ 3 points
• Willingness to participate in the interventions and collaborate with the research team
• Must be able to provide informed consent (oral or written)

Exclusion criteria

• Severe dementia
• Severe comorbidity that negatively influences participation in the intervention
• Color blindness
• Fractures in the last three months

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Allocation

Randomized

Model

Factorial

Masking

Single blind

Primary purpose

Prevention

Study locations

Portugal · 1 center

• University of Beira Interior — Covilha

Publications

• Fonseca N, Esteves D, Marques DL, Fail LB, Sousa T, Pinto MP, Neiva HP, Izquierdo M, Marques MC. Acute and time-course changes in hemodynamic and physical performance parameters following single and multiple resistance training sets in cognitively impaired individuals: A randomized crossover study. Exp Gerontol. 2025 Mar;201:112688. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2025.112688. Epub 2025 Jan 23. PMID 39854950

Identifiers

NCT: NCT06185010 · University of Beira Interior

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗