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NCT Number: NCT07667985

Cognitive Reserve and Post-Fatigue Recovery in Older Adults

As people grow older, it is common to experience a drop in physical stamina and memory functions. This can make recovering from daily physical and mental fatigue more difficult, which directly impacts an individual's independent daily life and overall quality of life.

"Cognitive reserve" is a term that describes the brain's built-in resilience. Built over a lifetime through education, work, and social activities, a higher cognitive reserve acts like a buffer, helping the brain adapt to stress and aging. While research shows that a high cognitive reserve protects against conditions like dementia, we still do not fully understand how it helps older adults bounce back from normal, everyday physical and mental exhaustion.

The goal of this study is to investigate how cognitive reserve levels influence how individuals aged 65 and older perceive their recovery after experiencing physical and mental fatigue.

What the Study Involves

The researchers will evaluate participants aged 65 and older to measure their baseline cognitive reserve levels. The study will look closely at how these levels affect the participants':

Ability to cope with daily physical and mental fatigue. Need for rest and rest patterns. Time and ability to return to normal daily activities. Overall perception of their mental and physical recovery. Expected Outcome By understanding this relationship, the study aims to fill a gap in medical literature and help healthcare providers design better, more personalized rehabilitation and lifestyle support programs to improve the quality of life for older adults.

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Key information

Conditions

Cognitive Reserve Aging Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Fatigue Mental Fatigue Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Recovery of Function Signs and Symptoms

Age range

65 year–90 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Uşak University

Uşak, 64000, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Elif TUNCAY, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+90 276 221 2121 Extension: 30

About this study

The aim of this study is to evaluate the perception of cognitive reserve level and recovery after physical and mental fatigue in individuals aged 65 and over. It also aims to examine the effect of cognitive reserve level on individuals' ability to cope with fatigue, need for rest, return to daily activities, and perception of mental recovery.

With the aging process, individuals may experience a decrease in physical endurance, a decline in cognitive functions, and changes in their capacity for recovery after fatigue. Especially in the elderly, physical and mental fatigue are among the factors that significantly affect daily living activities and quality of life.

Cognitive reserve refers to the capacity that individuals develop throughout their lives through education, professional experience, and mental-social activities, enabling them to maintain their cognitive functions despite brain damage. It has been shown that individuals with high cognitive reserve levels are more resilient to neurological and psychological stressors and can better maintain their cognitive performance. Although cognitive reserve is known in the literature to play a protective role, especially in dementia, age-related cognitive decline, and neurological diseases, its effect on fatigue and recovery processes encountered in daily life has not been sufficiently studied. However, it has been reported that mental fatigue affects attention, executive functions, and decision-making processes, and that these effects may vary among individuals. The recovery process after physical and mental fatigue is affected by numerous factors such as sleep quality, psychological state, chronic diseases, and lifestyle. It is thought that cognitive reserve may play an indirect role in this process through the individual's ability to cope with stress, mental flexibility, and adaptation capacity. However, in the current literature, studies that directly examine the relationship between cognitive reserve and the perception of recovery after physical and mental fatigue, especially in individuals aged 65 and over, are limited. Therefore, this study aims to contribute to the literature by revealing the effect of the level of cognitive reserve on the recovery perspective in elderly individuals.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

being 65 years of age or older,
not having any neurological, psychiatric, or systemic disease that would affect one's mental state, and not using any medication for these conditions.

Exclusion criteria

Being younger than 65 years old,
having an illness or taking medication that affects mental health, or being
unable to complete the questionnaires.

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Cognitive Reserve Level

Time frame: Baseline

Cognitive Reserve Index questionnaire (CRIq):It assesses an individual's cognitive reserve by compiling information about that individual's entire adult life. The assessment will be conducted with the aid of a guide containing guidelines.

Secondary outcomes

Perception of Coping and Recovery After Mental and Physical Fatigue

Time frame: Baseline

The study will be evaluated using a 5-item multiple-choice questionnaire developed by researchers based on current literature. The questionnaire assesses individuals' perceptions of physical-mental fatigue, their ability to cope with physical/mental fatigue, their need for physical/mental rest, and their perspectives on returning to daily physical-mental activities. Participants will select up to 3 response options for each question or provide textual explanations. A higher frequency of selecting positive coping/recovery options indicates a more positive outlook on physical/mental recovery.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Elif Tuncay, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+90 276 221 2121 Extension: 30

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Uşak University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Determining the Post-Physical and Mental Fatigue Recovery Perspectives of Older Adults Based on Their Cognitive Reserves

Important dates

Study start: 2026
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Jun 25, 2026
Registry last updated: Jun 25, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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