N/A
Completed N=122
Exercise Effects on Brain Health and Learning From Minutes to Months
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03114150 ↗Enrolled (actual)
122
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Aug 2025
Primary outcomePrimary: Change in Hippocampal-dependent Learning — -.00369; .00404 learning rate (proportion correct/trial) — p=<.05
Summary
Given the accelerating growth of older adults worldwide and the decline in cognitive function with aging, therapeutics that remediate age-related cognitive decline are needed more than ever. The proposed research seeks to better understand and enhance the detection of exercise effects on hippocampal network function and learning and memory, which decline with aging and Alzheimer's. Success would lead to new ways to detect benefits of exercise on cognitive aging and would lead to mechanistic insight on how such plasticity is possible while also informing prevention strategies.
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Change in Hippocampal-dependent Learning |
-.00369; .00404 | <.05 sig |
| SECONDARY Change in Hippocampal-cortical Functional Connectivity |
-.007; -.005 | <.05 sig |
| SECONDARY Change in Cardiorespiratory Fitness |
2.33; .53 | <.05 sig |
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- Eligible to participate in an aerobic exercise intervention based on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire, and corrected vision of 20/40.
- Approval from a physician that monitored electrocardiography (ECG) response during a maximal aerobic fitness test that is part of the second study visit described below.
- Exercising less than 60 minutes a week for the past calendar year
Exclusion Criteria
- Not between the ages of 55 and 80 years old
- Not fluent in English
- Score < 20 (out of 30) on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
- Inability to comply with experimental instructions
- Qualify as "high risk" for acute cardiovascular event by the published standards of the American College of Sports Medicine
- Previous diagnosis of neurological, metabolic, or psychiatric condition, and no previous brain injury associated with loss of consciousness
- Inability to complete an MRI
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03114150). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication. Informational only — not medical advice.