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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT01167400

Cybercycling for Cognitive Health

Exercise has been linked to cognitive health, but few older adults exercise at recommended levels. Cybercycling may provide additional cognitive benefits due to increased motivation to ride the interactive 3D tours. Participants will be randomly assigned to three months of either cybercycling or traditional stationary biking; and they will complete comprehensive evaluations before and after exercise. Older adults are expected to show significant neuropsychological, physiological and behavioral gains.

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Key information

Conditions

Cognitive Ability, General Behavior Motor Activity

Age range

50 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Beltrone Living Center, Colonie, New York, United States

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About this study

The purpose of this study is to test the following hypotheses: (1) stationary cycling with virtual reality tours ("cybercyle") will enhance executive function and clinical status more than traditional exercise; (2) exercise effort will explain improvement; and (3) brain-derived neurotrophic growth factor (BDNF) will increase.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • age 50+
  • able to participate in cycling
  • physician permission

Exclusion criteria

  • unstable heart condition
  • physician denial
  • neurological condition

Treatment and study plan

CyberCycling

Behavioral

exercising on a videogame-enhanced interactive 3D stationary bicycle for 3 months, 3-5x/wk

Other names: Netathalon, Expresso

Traditional Exercise

Behavioral

exercising on a traditional stationary bike for 3 months, 3-5x/wk

Other names: Tunturi

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in cognitive function after three months of exercise.

    Time frame: 3 months

    Cognitive function, especially executive function, will be assessed before and after three months of either cybercycling or traditional exercise biking. Neuropsychological tests will assess: cognitive flexibility and simultaneous processing(i.e., Stroop, Digits Backwards, and Trails Difference Score).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Weight

    Time frame: 3 months

    Weight and other physiological factors will be assessed before and after 3 months of exercise.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Union College, New York

Other

Collaborators

  • Skidmore College

Registry information

Official study title

Cybercycling for Older Adults: Neuropsychological, Physiological and Behavioral Effects

Important dates

Study start
2008
Primary completion
2010
Study completion
2010
First posted
Jul 22, 2010
Registry last updated
Sep 5, 2014

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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