Menu
Recruiting NCT07025070

The Link Between Physical Activity and Brain Health in Healthy Adults

— Observational Alzheimer Disease Inactivity Preventive Therapy

For patients and families

In plain language

An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.

What is being studied
This is an observational study: the protocol does not assign a study treatment.
Who it may be relevant to
Registry conditions: Alzheimer Disease, Inactivity, Preventive Therapy. Basic parameters: 40 years — 75 years · All.
What needs checking
Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
Where it takes place
Spain
Next step
Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →

Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →

Official title

The Link Between Strength and Endurance Training and Brain Health in Healthy Adults: A Comparative Study of Former Professional Athletes and Sedentary Individuals

Overview

The goal of this observational study is to investigate the cross-sectional relationship between physical activity and brain health from a multiscale approach (neuropsychology, neuroimaging, peripheral biomarkers and genetics) in former athletes and sedentary individuals. The main question it aims to answer is: Do former athletes have better brain structure than sedentary people? Evaluating the differences in neurodegenerative processes between competitive training and sedentary and inactivity.

Primary outcome measures

  • Concentration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in plasma (pg/mL) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Concentration of total tau protein in plasma (pg/mL) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Hippocampal volume measured by high-resolution 3 T T1-weighted MRI (mm³) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Resting-state functional connectivity between primary motor cortex and supplementary motor area measured by 3 T fMRI (Fisher-Z) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Digit Span Forward maximum span length (digits) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Trail Making Test Part A completion time (seconds) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Digit Span Backward maximum span length (digits) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Trail Making Test Part B completion time (seconds) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Verbal fluency (F-A-S) total words in 60 s (count) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Stroop Color-Word interference score (seconds) [Time frame: Baseline]
Secondary outcome measures (12)
  • Maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) measured by CPET with ramp protocol on treadmill (mL·kg-¹·min-¹) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Mean daily minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity measured by ActiGraph wGT3X-BT accelerometer over 7 days (min/day) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Body mass index (BMI) calculated from weight and stadiometer-measured height (kg/m²) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Peak force of mid-thigh-pull test measured by portable force dynamometer (N) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Handgrip strength measured by grip dynamometer (kg) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test completion time (seconds) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Balance stability and speed score measured by TANITA force platform (unitless) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Percentage body fat measured by multifrequency bioimpedance analyzer InBody system (%) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Skeletal muscle mass measured by multifrequency bioimpedance analyzer InBody system (kg) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Waist circumference measured by flexible tape at midpoint between lowest rib and iliac crest (cm) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Hip circumference measured by flexible tape at level of greater trochanters (cm) [Time frame: Baseline]
  • Serum triglycerides measured by enzymatic colorimetric assay (mg/dL) [Time frame: Baseline]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

  • Group A: ex-athletes and continue to perform regular physical exercise (minimum 3 days/week of moderate-vigorous intensity).
  • Group B: sedentary individuals, (i.e., perform <150 min of moderate intensity exercise per week or IPAQ score<600 MET min/week).
  • In both groups (A and B) the conditions of physical exercise or sedentary lifestyle must have been maintained for at least 6 months prior to the evaluations.
  • Not having a history of neurological or psychiatric disorder or suffering from a serious medical condition

Exclusion criteria

  • Medical conditions that have a high risk of associated cognitive symptoms.
  • Severe head injury with loss of consciousness within the previous 5 years.
  • Alcoholism (>3 alcoholic drinks per day).
  • Chronic use of anxiolytics, neuroleptics, narcotics, anticonvulsants, or sedative hypnotics.
  • Hearing or visual impairment that would preclude testing
  • History of neurological disease with clinically relevant impact on cognition (e.g. cerebrovascular disease).
  • Incidental structural brain findings with impact on cognitive impairment or survival (e.g., malignant brain tumor).
  • Presence of severe systemic disease (e.g., cancer under treatment).
  • Consumption of anabolic substances.
  • Problems understanding spoken or written Spanish.
  • Those with pacemakers or metallic implants that may interfere with the MRI.

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

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Observational model
Cohort

Study locations

Spain · 1 center
  • Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences (INEF) — Madrid

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07025070 · MINAEPSLRE-MMGG-DATOS-20240219 · S2022/BMD-7236

Primary sources (government registries)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗