Aging and the Mitochondrial Response to Exercise Training, Measured by Noninvasive 31P Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

NCT04799171 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: PBRC 20-03
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 352
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of the study is to determine whether aerobic or resistant exercise can improve in vivo mitochondrial capacity of skeletal muscle cells similarly in healthy younger, middle aged and older adults. This confers long-term changes in this tissue which in-turn contribute to improved metabolic health and functional capacity through epigenetic regulation of novel exercise response genes.

Conditions

Physical Activity

Keywords

Isometric contraction exercise

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Pre-training 31P MRS measurement - Phosphocreatine recovery rate

  The plot of PCr peak height vs. time will be fitted with a mono-exponential equation whose free parameters are the recovery time constant (tau) and scaling coefficients. Percent change in tau between pre- and post-intervention scans will be our primary measurement of the maximal mitochondrial capacity response to exercise training.

  Baseline visit - before any muscle biopsies or exercise training.

• Post-training 31P MRS measurement - Phosphocreatine recovery rate

  The plot of PCr peak height vs. time will be fitted with a mono-exponential equation whose free parameters are the recovery time constant (tau) and scaling coefficients. Percent change in tau between pre- and post-intervention scans will be our primary measurement of the maximal mitochondrial capacity response to exercise training.

  After week 12 visit - after all muscle biopsies and exercise training.

Study Arms (3)

Young Adults (Age group 18-39)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

31P-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy exam on one thigh to measure mitochondrial capacity non-invasively after exercise training.

Other: Isometric Contraction Exercise - Young Adults (Age group 18-39)

Middle Aged Adults (Age group 40-59)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

31P-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy exam on one thigh to measure mitochondrial capacity non-invasively after exercise training.

Other: Isometric Contraction Exercise - Middle Age Adults (Age group 40-59)

Old Adults (Age group >60)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

31P-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy exam on one thigh to measure mitochondrial capacity non-invasively after exercise training.

Other: Isometric Contraction Exercise - Old Adults (Age group >60)

Interventions

Isometric Contraction Exercise - Young Adults (Age group 18-39) OTHER

Subjects will be asked to lie supine on MRI table with the 31P surface coil placed over the right vastus lateralis, and straps to immobilize the leg. At the start of the scan session, the investigators will instruct the participant on the isometric contraction exercise and coach the participant through a demonstration. The average flexion repetition time is on the order of 1.5 s for a 30 s duration at maximum kick intensity.

Young Adults (Age group 18-39)

Isometric Contraction Exercise - Middle Age Adults (Age group 40-59) OTHER

Subjects will be asked to lie supine on MRI table with the 31P surface coil placed over the right vastus lateralis, and straps to immobilize the leg. At the start of the scan session, the investigators will instruct the participant on the isometric contraction exercise and coach the participant through a demonstration. The average flexion repetition time is on the order of 1.5 s for a 30 s duration at maximum kick intensity.

Middle Aged Adults (Age group 40-59)

Isometric Contraction Exercise - Old Adults (Age group >60) OTHER

Subjects will be asked to lie supine on MRI table with the 31P surface coil placed over the right vastus lateralis, and straps to immobilize the leg. At the start of the scan session, the investigators will instruct the participant on the isometric contraction exercise and coach the participant through a demonstration. The average flexion repetition time is on the order of 1.5 s for a 30 s duration at maximum kick intensity.

Old Adults (Age group >60)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Willingness to provide informed consent to participate in the MoTrMito Study
• Must be able to read and speak English well enough to provide informed consent and understand instructions
• Aged 18 - 39 y
• Body Mass Index (BMI) \>19 to \<35 kg/m2
• Willingness to provide informed consent to participate in the MoTrMito Study
• Must be able to read and speak English well enough to provide informed consent and understand instructions
• Aged 40 - 59 y
• Body Mass Index (BMI) \>19 to \<35 kg/m2
• Willingness to provide informed consent to participate in the MoTrMito Study
• Must be able to read and speak English well enough to provide informed consent and understand instructions
• Aged \>=60 y
• Body Mass Index (BMI) \>19 to \<35 kg/m2

You may not qualify if:

• Diabetes (self-report and screening tests)
• Treatment with any hypoglycemic agents (self-report) or A1c \>6.4 (screening test; may reassess once if 6.5-6.7)
• Fasting glucose \>125 (screening test; may reassess once)
• Use of hypoglycemic drugs (e.g., metformin) for non-diabetic reasons (self-report)
• Abnormal bleeding or coagulopathy (self-report)
• History of a bleeding disorder or clotting abnormality
• Thyroid disease (screening test)
• Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) value outside of the normal range for the laboratory
• Individuals with hypothyroidism may be referred to their primary care provider (PCP) for evaluation and retested; any medication change must be stable for ≥3 months prior to retesting
• Individuals with hyperthyroidism are excluded, including those with normal TSH on pharmacologic treatment
• Pulmonary (self-report)
• Clinical diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Metabolic bone disease (self-report)
• History of non-traumatic fracture from a standing height or less
• Current pharmacologic treatment for low bone mass or osteoporosis, other than calcium, vitamin D, or estrogen

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Pennington Biomedical Research Center: lead
• University of Colorado, Denver: collaborator
• University of Pittsburgh: collaborator
• The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio: collaborator
• AdventHealth Translational Research Institute: collaborator
• Stanford University: collaborator
• Wake Forest University Health Sciences: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Pennington Biomedical Research Center

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70808, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Officials

• Owen T Carmichael, PhD

  Director, Biomedical Imaging Center, PBRC

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Director Biomedical Imaging Center

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 11, 2021
• First Posted: March 16, 2021
• Study Start: August 2, 2021
• Primary Completion: May 12, 2025
• Study Completion: May 12, 2025
• Last Updated: August 22, 2025

Record last verified: 2024-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)