Remote Limb Ischemic Conditioning to Enhance Learning and Muscle Strength in Healthy Young Adults
Condition: Healthy, Young Adults
MeSH terms: Ischemia
Intervention: RLIC; Sham conditioning; Muscle strength training; Driving training; Balance training
Intervention description: See descriptions under arm/group descriptions. RLIC is delivered for 8 visits. Visits 1-3 occur on consecutive work days and visits 4-8 occur on alternating week days.; See descriptions under arm/group descriptions. Sham conditioning is delivered for 8 visits. Visits 1-3 occur on consecutive work days and visits 4-8 occur on alternating week days.; All participants undergo muscle strength training of the wrist extensor muscles on one side. Strength training follows standard American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for frequency, intensity, progression etc. Strength training is provided at visits 3-8; All participants undergo training of a complex cognitive-motor task using a driving simulator. Participants learn to 'drive' on a virtual course, maximizing speed and minimizing errors. Participants perform the driving task once each day for visits 3-8.; All participants undergo training on a balance board, learning to hold the board level with equal weight on each leg. Participants perform the balance task for 15, 30-second trials per day at visits 3-8.
Phase: Phase 1
Study type: Interventional
Primary purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Single blinded, randomized controlled trial
Masking: Single (Participant)
Masking description: Participants are masked to group assignment (RLIC vs. Sham conditioning).
Enrollment: 34.0
Sex: All
Minimum age: 18 Years
Maximum age: 40 Years
Healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Keywords: ischemic conditioning, motor learning, strength, cognition

Summary:

      The purpose of this research study is to determine if remote limb ischemic conditioning
      (RLIC) can enhance learning of a motor (balance) and an ecologically valid, complex
      cognitive-motor (driving) task, and increase skeletal muscle strength in
      neurologically-intact young adults.
    

Eligibility criteria:

        Inclusion Criteria:

          1. Healthy adults between the age of 18 and 40 years

          2. Visual acuity of 20/20 with corrected vision

        Exclusion Criteria:

          1. History of neurological condition (i.e. stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's
             disease), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), depression, bipolar
             disorder, balance impairment, or vestibular disorder

          2. History of severe motion sickness, moderate to severe motion sickness or nausea on
             oculo-motor components of Simulator sickness questionnaire, inability to ride a car,
             boat, train or airplane due to motion sickness

          3. Recent wrist, hand or forearm injury that would currently prevent ability to lift
             weights

          4. History of lower extremity condition, injury, or surgery that would currently impair
             ability to stand or balance

          5. Any extremity soft tissue, orthopedic, or vascular injury (i.e. peripheral vascular
             disease) which may contraindicate RLIC

          6. Any cognitive, sensory, or communication problem that would prevent completion of the
             study

          7. History of or current sleep apnea

          8. Current intensive weight lifting or interval training exercise

          9. Current substance abuse or dependence

         10. Unwillingness to travel for all study visits