NCT05691842

Effectiveness of a High-intensity Interval Exercise Program in People With Alzheimer's

Efficacy of a High-Intensity Interval Exercise Program Versus a Dual-Task Training Program in People With Alzheimer's: A Randomized Clinical Trial

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 66 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Valencia · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 60 Years – 90 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a the most common type of dementia. It is a progressive disease that affects different areas of human behavior at the cognitive, social, physical and metabolic levels. The benefits of a High-Intensity Interval Exercise Program (HIIT) has been proven not only in healthy older adults, but also in different pathologies, such as cerebrovascular and cardiometabolic diseases. However, there are no studies to date that examine the impact of HIIT in people with AD. The aim of this study was to ascertain the effectiveness of a HIIT program versus a cognitive and motor dual task balance program on parameters related to functional capacity and cognitive function in people with AD.

Detailed description

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a the most common type of dementia. It is a progressive disease that affects different areas of human behavior at the cognitive, social, physical and metabolic levels. The benefits of interventions such as dual-task training (TD) have been the focus of studies in recent years in AD. Current evidence shows that DT training leads to improvements in parameters related to frontal cognitive function, such as: planning, organization, strategy creation, abstraction, motor sequencing, working memory, thinking flexibility, visual search, sequencing, sustained attention and working memory. DT training has been also shown to improve variables related to gait ability and balance, such as step length and gait speed, postural control and specific functional tasks under challenging conditions of double task. However, AD is also associated with reduced cardiovascular fitness and decreased muscle strength, thus leading to a loss of independence in activities of daily living and poor quality of life. A promising intervention to address these issues is high-intensity interval exercise (HIIT), defined as brief intermittent bursts of vigorous activity interspersed with periods of rest or low-intensity exercise. Indeed, it has been reported that HIIT generates greater benefits in cardiorespiratory capacity and greater metabolic adaptations than continuous exercise of moderate intensity in healthy older adults. HIIT interventions have resulted in benefits on variables related to functional capacity, such as improved gait speed, increased muscle mass and strength. Furthermore, HIIT has been shown to improve variables related to cognitive function, such as attention, perception and memory abilities. However, there are no studies to date that examine the impact of HIIT in people with AD. The aim of this study was to ascertain the effectiveness of a HIIT program versus a cognitive and motor dual task balance program on parameters related to functional capacity and cognitive function in people with AD. Therefore, a randomized clinical trial will be carried out, in which three groups of twenty people in each group will participate, with different interventions: * Experimental group 1: HIIT (HIIT) * Experimental group 2: Dual task training (DT) * Control group: No intervention (CG) Participants will be evaluated in three moments, at baseline (T1), post-intervention (T2) and at 2 month-follow-up (T3). Data analysis will be performed with SPSS statistic program (v26). Normality and homoscedasticity will be analyzed by Shapiro-Wilk t-test and Levene test, respectively. For comparation between groups Bonferroni will be used. If any confusion factor that not meet requirements to be analysed like a covariable exist, ANCOVA will be used. When p\<0.0.5 statistical significant differences will be assumed.

Conditions

• Alzheimer Disease

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	HIIT intervention	Patients will perform a muscle strength training circuit interspersed with resistance training circuit. The strength training circuit will consist of 10 strength exercises and resistance training circuit will consist of walking, jogging and running exercises. Each exercise will be performed for one minute, trying to reach maximum intensities adapted to each individual's condition.
OTHER	Dual task intervention	Dual task training will consist of the progressive and specific assignment of primary motor tasks and secondary motor or cognitive tasks focused on: i) Primary tasks: static, dynamic balance and gait exercises; ii) Secondary tasks (motor or cognitive): verbal fluency, mathematical calculation, memory, visual-spatial planning, auditory discrimination, fine motor task, motor transport task.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-12-20
• Primary completion: 2025-11-01
• Completion: 2026-01-01
• First posted: 2023-01-20
• Last updated: 2023-01-20

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Spain