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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04830059

The Joint Effect of Air Pollution and Exercise on Cognitive Function

A double-blind randomized controlled trial design is used in this study. A mixed design of 2 (pollution reduction group vs. no pollution reduction group) × 3 (high intensity intermittent exercise [HIIT], moderate intensity of aerobic exercise [MICT] and control group [CONT]) is used. 93 subjects recruited by advertising will be randomly divided into 6 groups: high intensity exercise group (pollution reduction vs no pollution reduction), moderate intensity aerobic exercise group (pollution reduction vs no pollution reduction) and Stretching group (Control) (pollution reduction vs no pollution reduction).

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Key information

Conditions

Exercise Air Pollution Behavior Cognition Health Promotion Motor Activity

Age range

20 year–30 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Tsinghua University

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100084, China

About this study

Environmental intervention program In the pollution reduction groups, the air purification system is used 2 hours before the subjects entered the room to minimize the indoor PM2.5 and PM10.

Exercise intervention program including HIIT, MICT and Stretching (Control) group :

The VO2max of all subjects are measured one week before the experiment. HIIT program: 20 minutes exercise of HIIT (1min of 100% VO2max and 1min of 50% VO2max alternately) and 10 minutes of warm-up and relaxation.

MICT program: 20 minutes exercise of 70-75% VO2max and 10 minutes of warm-up and relaxation.

Stretching control group: 30 minutes of stretching, posture adjustment and rehabilitation courses taught by professional therapists.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • No regular exercise in the past six months;
  • Healthy people without history of disease;
  • Aged between 20 and 30 years old.

Exclusion criteria

  • Professional athletes;
  • Regular exercise in the past six months;
  • People who are injured or have a history of disease in the past six months;
  • People who have a history of taking medicine in the past six months.

Treatment and study plan

Exercise

Behavioral

Two types of exercise intervention and control group

Air purification

Behavioral

Air purification in order to reduce the PM2.5 and PM10

Primary outcomes

  1. Change of cognitive function

    Time frame: Before and after acute exercise (about 30 minutes).

    Cognitive function measured by computer-based tasks including executive function

  2. Change of biomarkers

    Time frame: Before and after acute exercise (about 30 minutes).

    The cognitive-related biomarkers including brain derived neurotrophic factor

  3. Change of oxyhemoglobin

    Time frame: Before and after acute exercise (about 30 minutes).

    Mearsurement of oxyhemoglobin using fNIRS

  4. Change of transcriptions

    Time frame: Before and after acute exercise (about 30 minutes).

    The molecular response of exercise and environment through the measurement of peripheral blood

  5. Change of metabonomics

    Time frame: Before and after acute exercise (about 30 minutes).

    The molecular response of exercise and environment through the measurement of peripheral blood

  6. Change of cerebral blood flow

    Time frame: Before and after acute exercise (about 30 minutes).

    The blood flow of middle cerebral artery measured by ultrasonic doppler

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change of cognitive function

    Time frame: Three months (from baseline to the third month)

    Cognitive function measured by computer-based tasks including executive function

  2. Change of aerobic capacity

    Time frame: Three months (from baseline to the third month)

    The aerobic capacity measured by the gas metabolism analyzer

  3. Change of cerebral blood flow

    Time frame: Three months (from baseline to the third month)

    The blood flow of middle cerebral artery measured by ultrasonic doppler

  4. Change of biomarkers

    Time frame: Three months (from baseline to the third month)

    The cognitive-related biomarkers including brain derived neurotrophic factor

  5. Change of oxyhemoglobin

    Time frame: Three months (from baseline to the third month)

    Mearsurement of oxyhemoglobin using functional near infrared spectroscopy

  6. Change of metabonomics

    Time frame: Three months (from baseline to the third month)

    The molecular response of exercise through the measurement of peripheral blood

  7. Change of transcriptions

    Time frame: Three months (from baseline to the third month)

    The molecular response of exercise through the measurement of peripheral blood

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Tsinghua University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2021
Study completion
2021
First posted
Apr 2, 2021
Registry last updated
Dec 15, 2025

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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