NCT04962061

Brief Summary

The ACTIONcardioRisk trial is designed to investigate the effect of aerobic and progressive resistance training exercises combined with cognitive training, on neurocognitive functioning of sedentary older adults with and without cardiovascular risk factors.

Trial Health

57
Monitor

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Trial has exceeded expected completion date
Enrollment
159

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Sep 2021

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

June 16, 2021

Completed
28 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

July 14, 2021

Completed
2 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

September 1, 2021

Completed
4.3 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

December 31, 2025

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 31, 2025

Completed
Last Updated

February 6, 2025

Status Verified

February 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

4.3 years

First QC Date

June 16, 2021

Last Update Submit

February 4, 2025

Conditions

Keywords

AgingCardiovascular Risk factorCognitionCombined InterventionCognitive TrainingPhysical ExerciseBrain FunctionsBiomarkers

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

  • Change in general cognitive functioning

    Montreal Cognitive Assessment (0-30 score, with a higher score indicating a better cognitive functioning).

    Baseline and post-intervention at 12 months.

  • Change in processing speed

    Validated remote version of neuropsychological tests and iPad tests (Composite Z-score).

    Baseline and post-intervention at 12 months.

  • Change in executive functions

    Validated remote version of neuropsychological tests and iPad tests (Composite Z-score).

    Baseline and post-intervention at 12 months.

  • Change in episodic memory

    Validated remote version of neuropsychological tests and iPad tests (Composite Z-score).

    Baseline and post-intervention at 12 months.

Secondary Outcomes (9)

  • Change in cerebral autoregulation - frontal cortical region

    Baseline and post-intervention at 12 months.

  • Change in cerebral autoregulation - middle cerebral arteries

    Baseline and post-intervention at 12 months.

  • Change in cerebral vasoreactivity - whole brain

    Baseline and post-intervention at 12 months.

  • Change in cerebral vasoreactivity - prefrontal cortex

    Baseline and post-intervention at 12 months.

  • Change in cerebral vasoreactivity - middle cerebral arteries

    Baseline and post-intervention at 12 months.

  • +4 more secondary outcomes

Other Outcomes (38)

  • Change in cardiorespiratory fitness

    Baseline and post-intervention at 12 months.

  • Change in peripheral endothelial function

    Baseline and post-intervention at 12 months.

  • Change in central artery stiffness

    Baseline and post-intervention at 12 months.

  • +35 more other outcomes

Study Arms (3)

Multidomain intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

The multidomain intervention will combine a cognitive training with aerobic and resistance exercises training, three sessions per week for 46 weeks. Participants will be allowed to perform cognitive and exercise training sessions either home-based or centre-based.

Other: Cognitive TrainingOther: Aerobic and resistance exercises

Physical exercise intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

The physical exercises intervention will include aerobic and resistance exercises training, three sessions per week for 46 weeks. Participants will be allowed to perform cognitive and exercise training sessions either home-based or centre-based.

Other: Aerobic and resistance exercises

Active control intervention

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The active control intervention will include stretching and toning exercises, three sessions per week for 46 weeks. Participants will be allowed to perform cognitive and exercise training sessions either home-based or centre-based.

Other: Stretching and Toning

Interventions

Participants will be encouraged to perform sessions of cognitive training 3 times per week (30 minutes/session). Two of these sessions will involve computer- or tablet-based attentional control training targeting dual-tasking, updating and working memory, as well as inhibition and switching. Difficulty of cognitive training will be tailored to participants' performances. The remaining session will consist of memory training. Participants will be instructed mnemotechnic, as well as be taught about memory in aging in general.

Multidomain intervention

Participants will follow a periodized exercise training program with thrice-weekly 60 minutes trainings. The sessions will start with a 5-10mins warm-up, followed by aerobic and resistance trainings, and ends with a 5-10mins cool-down and stretching period. Intensity of aerobic sessions will be monitored with heart rate chest strap and should match with the moderate to vigorous intensity zone as defined by the ACSM (65% of Heart Rate maximum or more and a Perceived Exertion higher than 12 on the 6 to 20 Borg scale). Exercise intensity and duration will be gradually increased during the program. After aerobic training, a 15-20mins resistance training will be performed with a gradual progression of higher intensities and/or numbers of sets. The one maximal repetition (1RM) will be assessed for each RT movements at baseline, during (each 3 months) and at the end of the program. RT intensities will go from 40 to 70% of 1RM, with 8 to 10 forms of exercise involving majors muscle groups.

Multidomain interventionPhysical exercise intervention

Participants in the active control condition will take part in three 60 minutes stretching and toning sessions per week. Each session will start with a five-minutes warm-up, followed by fifteen min of body stretching exercises mainly in a seated position and finish with a five-minutes cool down. Participants will engage in four muscle-toning exercises (light intensity) using dumbbells or resistance bands, two exercises designed to improve balance, one yoga sequence, and one exercise of their choice. Intensity of stretching and toning sessions will be monitored with heart rate chest strap and should not exceed the light intensity zone as defined by the ACSM (64% of Heart Rate maximum or less and a Perceived Exertion lower than 11 on the 6 to 20 Borg scale).

Active control intervention

Eligibility Criteria

Age60 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Adult aged 60 and older,
  • Normal or corrected vision and normal hearing for their age range,
  • No cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination - MMSE ≥ 25),
  • Inactive (\< 150 min of physical activity per week).

You may not qualify if:

  • MMSE ≤ 24 or diagnosis of dementia,
  • Uncontrolled psychological / psychiatric condition within the past 6 months,
  • Neurological disease,
  • Severe exercise intolerance,
  • Respiratory disease (e.g., asthma, COPD),
  • Excessive alcohol consumption (\> 15 drinks/week),
  • Documented cerebral, peripheral or coronary atherosclerotic disease,
  • Chronic systolic or diastolic heart failure,
  • Symptomatic aortic stenosis,
  • Atrial fibrillation,
  • Automatic implantable defibrillator or permanent pacemaker,
  • Malignant exertional arrhythmias,
  • Non-cardiopulmonary limitation to exercise (e.g., arthritis).

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Preventive medicine and physical activity centre (centre EPIC), Montreal Heart Institute

Montreal, Quebec, H1T1N6, Canada

RECRUITING

Related Publications (24)

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  • Erickson KI, Colcombe SJ, Wadhwa R, Bherer L, Peterson MS, Scalf PE, Kim JS, Alvarado M, Kramer AF. Training-induced functional activation changes in dual-task processing: an FMRI study. Cereb Cortex. 2007 Jan;17(1):192-204. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhj137. Epub 2006 Feb 8.

    PMID: 16467562BACKGROUND
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    PMID: 25323165BACKGROUND
  • Hodyl NA, Schneider L, Vallence AM, Clow A, Ridding MC, Pitcher JB. The cortisol awakening response is associated with performance of a serial sequence reaction time task. Int J Psychophysiol. 2016 Feb;100:12-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2015.12.007. Epub 2015 Dec 22.

    PMID: 26721740BACKGROUND
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    PMID: 15851723BACKGROUND
  • Karssemeijer EGA, Aaronson JA, Bossers WJ, Smits T, Olde Rikkert MGM, Kessels RPC. Positive effects of combined cognitive and physical exercise training on cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment or dementia: A meta-analysis. Ageing Res Rev. 2017 Nov;40:75-83. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2017.09.003. Epub 2017 Sep 12.

    PMID: 28912076BACKGROUND
  • Kobe T, Witte AV, Schnelle A, Lesemann A, Fabian S, Tesky VA, Pantel J, Floel A. Combined omega-3 fatty acids, aerobic exercise and cognitive stimulation prevents decline in gray matter volume of the frontal, parietal and cingulate cortex in patients with mild cognitive impairment. Neuroimage. 2016 May 1;131:226-38. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.09.050. Epub 2015 Oct 1.

    PMID: 26433119BACKGROUND
  • Launer LJ, Lewis CE, Schreiner PJ, Sidney S, Battapady H, Jacobs DR, Lim KO, D'Esposito M, Zhang Q, Reis J, Davatzikos C, Bryan RN. Vascular factors and multiple measures of early brain health: CARDIA brain MRI study. PLoS One. 2015 Mar 26;10(3):e0122138. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122138. eCollection 2015.

    PMID: 25812012BACKGROUND
  • Lupien SJ, Maheu F, Tu M, Fiocco A, Schramek TE. The effects of stress and stress hormones on human cognition: Implications for the field of brain and cognition. Brain Cogn. 2007 Dec;65(3):209-37. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2007.02.007. Epub 2007 Apr 26.

    PMID: 17466428BACKGROUND
  • Lussier M, Gagnon C, Bherer L. An investigation of response and stimulus modality transfer effects after dual-task training in younger and older. Front Hum Neurosci. 2012 May 18;6:129. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2012.00129. eCollection 2012.

    PMID: 22629239BACKGROUND
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  • Bherer L, Vrinceanu T, Dupuy EG, Gayda M, Vincent T, Magnan PO, Mohammadi H, Gauthier C, Gagnon C, Duchesne S, Erickson KI, Gagnon D, Lesage F, Lupien S, Poirier J, Dube MP, Thorin E, Juneau M, Breton J, Belleville S, Ferland G, Gaudreau-Majeau F, Blanchette CA, Vitali P, Nigam A. Investigating the effects of a randomized, double-blinded aerobic, resistance, and cognitive training clinical trial on neurocognitive function in older adults with cardiovascular risk factors: the ACTIONcardioRisk protocol. Front Aging Neurosci. 2025 Jun 23;17:1605128. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2025.1605128. eCollection 2025.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Interventions

Cognitive Training

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neurological RehabilitationRehabilitationAftercareContinuity of Patient CarePatient CareTherapeuticsHealth ServicesHealth Care Facilities Workforce and Services

Study Officials

  • Louis Bherer, PhD

    Montreal Heart Institute

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
DOUBLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Masking Details
This clinical trial is a double-blinded study. Research personnel performing the outcome assessments will be blinded to group allocation. Participants will be aware of the type of training they receive, but they will be blinded to the "active" intervention and study hypotheses.
Purpose
PREVENTION
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Director of the EPIC Center and Scientist, Montreal Heart Institute

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

June 16, 2021

First Posted

July 14, 2021

Study Start

September 1, 2021

Primary Completion

December 31, 2025

Study Completion

December 31, 2025

Last Updated

February 6, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-02

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations