Cybercycling for Cognitive Health

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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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.

Detailed Description
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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.

Official Title
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Cybercycling for Older Adults: Neuropsychological, Physiological and Behavioral Effects

Conditions
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Cognitive Ability, General

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Cybercycling
* Behavioral: Traditional exercise


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: age 50+ able to participate in cycling physician permission Exclusion Criteria: unstable heart condition physician denial neurological condition

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 50 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Cybercycling<br>cybercycling for 3 months | Behavioral: Cybercycling<br>* exercising on a videogame-enhanced interactive 3D stationary bicycle for 3 months, 3-5x/wk<br>* Other names: Expresso;|
| Active Comparator: Traditional Stationary Biking<br>Traditional exercise on a stationary bike for 3 months. | Behavioral: Traditional exercise<br>* exercising on a traditional stationary bike for 3 months, 3-5x/wk<br>* Other names: Tunturi;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in cognitive function after three months of exercise. | 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). | 3 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weight | Weight and other physiological factors will be assessed before and after 3 months of exercise. | 3 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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exercise, executive function, older adults