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Cognitive Function 1, SocialActiveBrainsNCT02295072

Effects of an Exercise Program on Cognition and Brain in Overweight/Obese Preadolescent Children

A study testing A 5-months physical exercise-based program in people with Cognitive Function 1, Social and Mental Health Wellness 1, run by Universidad de Granada.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The ActiveBrains project aims to examine whether a 5-months physical exercise program has benefits on cognition and brain, as well as on selected physical and mental health outcomes in preadolescent overweight/obese children. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 8 to 11 years
What is being tested?
A 5-months physical exercise-based program
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
110 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
Dec 2014to Jul 2017
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 8 to 11 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Preadolescent children of Tanner stage of I, II or III.
  • Children of 8 to 11 years-old,
  • Overweight or obese defined based on the sex-and-age specific body mass index standards of Cole (2002).
  • Girls must not have menstruation.

Who cannot join

  • Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or any other psychiatric disorder.
  • Left-handed children.
  • Children with medical problem that prevent to practice physical activity.

About this study

Official title: ActiveBrains: Effects of an Exercise-based Randomized Controlled Trial on Cognition, Brain Structure and Brain Function in Overweight/Obese Preadolescent Children

The ActiveBrains project aims to examine whether a 5-months physical exercise program has benefits on cognition and brain, as well as on selected physical and mental health outcomes in preadolescent overweight/obese children.

Read the detailed description

New advances in neuroelectric and neuroimaging technologies in the last years provide a golden opportunity to further explore and understand how cognition and brain function can be stimulated by environmental factors, such as exercise, and particularly to study whether physical activity influences brain development in early ages. The present study, namely the ActiveBrains project, aims to examine the effects of a 5-months physical exercise program on cognition and brain, as well as on selected physical and mental health outcomes in preadolescents overweight/obese children.

A total of 100 overweight/obese preadolescent children aged 9 to 10 years will be randomized into an exercise group (N=50) and a control group (N=50). For practical and feasibility reasons, the study will be conducted in 2 waves, a 1st wave with a sample of 30 and a 2nd wave with a sample of 75. In this regard, 15 children will be intervened within one academic year (5-month intervention) and 35 children will be intervened within the following academic year. The control group will receive the usual physical education sessions (2 per week). In order to study the extent to which the effect of the intervention remains or disappears once the formal intervention is finished, we will do a 3rd evaluation in a subsample (50 participants from the 1st wave) 9 months after the intervention has finished. Waitlist control group strategy will be used, through which the control group will also receive an after-school exercise program but later, after all the assessments of the effectiveness of the program have been completed.

Based on existing literature, we believe that a 5-months physical exercise program is potentially beneficial for the cognition and brain, and for the physical and mental health of the overweight/obese children participating.

Being tested
A 5-months physical exercise-based program
Keywords
Exercise-based Randomized Controlled Trial, Brain structure, Brain function, Cognitive function, Physical fitness, Body Mass Index, Cardiovascular disease risk factors, Mental health, Stress, Neurology, Obesity, brain, risk factors, bone, bones, body composition
Medical subject headings
Obesity, Overweight, Psychological Well-Being

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • A 5-months physical exercise-based programBehavioural

    The physical exercise program consists of 3-5 after-school sessions/week of 90 min plus "exercise homework" in the weekends, and will focus on high-intensity aerobic exercise mainly.

Study groups in NCT02295072
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Control groupNo intervention2 Usual Physical Education sessions/week
Intervention GroupExperimentalA 5-months physical exercise-based program (3-5 Physical Education after school sessions/week + 2 Usual Physical Education sessions/week)
Receives: Behavioral: A 5-months physical exercise-based program

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Changes in Brain function and structure using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

    10-15 mins of high resolution scanning, 10 mins of resting state and 20 mins of Diffusion Tensor Imaging

    Measured: 20 days during baselines and Post-evaluations (after intervention).

  2. Brain and cognitive functioning assessment by electroencephalogram (EEG)

    Assessment of the processing information and speed trought event-related brain potentials, cognitive function using a EEG and doing two cognitive tasks of attention and working memory.

    Measured: 20 days during baselines and Post-evaluations (after intervention).

  3. Cognitive performance (DKEFS test battery)

    Executive function assessment with a set of tests of the DKEFS test battery that provide an assessment of verbal and non-verbal intelligence, one's initiation of problem-solving behavior, fluency in generating visual patterns, creativity in drawing new designs, simultaneous processing in drawing the designs while observing the rules and restrictions of the task, and inhibiting previously drawn responses, spatial planning, rule learning, inhibition of impulsive and perseverative responding, cognitive inhibition, flexibility of thinking on a visual-motor sequencing task and relational memory

    Measured: 20 days during baselines and Post-evaluations (after intervention).

  4. Academic achievement

    Academic achievement is assessed using final school recorded scores and the III Woodcock-Muñoz Battery which includes 5 reading tests, 4 oral tests, 4 mathematics tests, 4 written language tests and 4 tests of academic language.

    Measured: 20 days during baselines and Post-evaluations (after intervention).

Secondary outcomes (4)

  1. Physical Fitness

    Aerobic fitness, muscular strength and speed-agility, following the ALPHA fitness test battery. In addition aerobic fitness will be additionally assessed using a gas analyzer (General Electric Corporation) while performing and maximal incremental treadmill test modified for poorly fit children

    Measured: 20 days during baselines and Post-evaluations (after intervention).

  2. Mental Health

    Chronic Stress indicators and behaviour and personality tests.

    Measured: 20 days during baselines and Post-evaluations (after intervention).

  3. Body fatness and bone mass

    Body fatness and bone mass assessment using dual-energy X-ray absorciometry (DXA, Discovery densitometer from Hologic), following protocols used in previous studies

    Measured: 20 days during baselines and Post-evaluations (after intervention).

  4. Cardio-metabolic risk factors

    Here we will include a complete set of risk factors as markers of lipid profile (triglycerides and total-, HDL and LDL-cholesterol), blood pressure (following standard procedures), and insulin resistance (glucose and insulin, homeostasis model assessment, HOMA)

    Measured: 20 days during baselines and Post-evaluations (after intervention).

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted20 Nov 2014 (estimated)
  2. Study startDec 2014
  3. Primary completionMar 2017
  4. Study completionJul 2017

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Investigator
Enrolment
110 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02295072
Sponsor's protocol ID
DEP2013-47540-R
Acronym
ActiveBrains
Status last verified
Apr 2025
First submitted
14 Nov 2014
Last updated
1 May 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
Individual data sharing
No: There is not a plan to make IPD available.

Publications

  • Cadenas-Sanchez C, Mora-Gonzalez J, Migueles JH, Martin-Matillas M, Gomez-Vida J, Escolano-Margarit MV, Maldonado J, Enriquez GM, Pastor-Villaescusa B, de Teresa C, Navarrete S, Lozano RM, de Dios Beas-Jimenez J, Estevez-Lopez F, Mena-Molina A, Heras MJ, Chillon P, Campoy C, Munoz-Hernandez V, Martinez-Avila WD, Merchan ME, Perales JC, Gil A, Verdejo-Garcia A, Aguilera CM, Ruiz JR, Labayen I, Catena A, Ortega FB. An exercise-based randomized controlled trial on brain, cognition, physical health and mental health in overweight/obese children (ActiveBrains project): Rationale, design and methods. Contemp Clin Trials. 2016 Mar;47:315-24. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2016.02.007. Epub 2016 Feb 23.

    PubMed 26924671

  • Esteban-Cornejo I, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Contreras-Rodriguez O, Verdejo-Roman J, Mora-Gonzalez J, Migueles JH, Henriksson P, Davis CL, Verdejo-Garcia A, Catena A, Ortega FB. A whole brain volumetric approach in overweight/obese children: Examining the association with different physical fitness components and academic performance. The ActiveBrains project. Neuroimage. 2017 Oct 1;159:346-354. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.08.011. Epub 2017 Aug 5.

    PubMed 28789992

  • Rodriguez-Ayllon M, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Esteban-Cornejo I, Migueles JH, Mora-Gonzalez J, Henriksson P, Martin-Matillas M, Mena-Molina A, Molina-Garcia P, Estevez-Lopez F, Enriquez GM, Perales JC, Ruiz JR, Catena A, Ortega FB. Physical fitness and psychological health in overweight/obese children: A cross-sectional study from the ActiveBrains project. J Sci Med Sport. 2018 Feb;21(2):179-184. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2017.09.019. Epub 2017 Oct 4.

    PubMed 29031643

  • Esteban-Cornejo I, Rodriguez-Ayllon M, Verdejo-Roman J, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Mora-Gonzalez J, Chaddock-Heyman L, Raine LB, Stillman CM, Kramer AF, Erickson KI, Catena A, Ortega FB, Hillman CH. Physical Fitness, White Matter Volume and Academic Performance in Children: Findings From the ActiveBrains and FITKids2 Projects. Front Psychol. 2019 Feb 12;10:208. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00208. eCollection 2019.

    PubMed 30809168

  • Plaza-Florido A, Migueles JH, Mora-Gonzalez J, Molina-Garcia P, Rodriguez-Ayllon M, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Esteban-Cornejo I, Solis-Urra P, de Teresa C, Gutierrez A, Michels N, Sacha J, Ortega FB. Heart Rate Is a Better Predictor of Cardiorespiratory Fitness Than Heart Rate Variability in Overweight/Obese Children: The ActiveBrains Project. Front Physiol. 2019 May 7;10:510. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00510. eCollection 2019.

    PubMed 31133870

  • Adelantado-Renau M, Esteban-Cornejo I, Rodriguez-Ayllon M, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Gil-Cosano JJ, Mora-Gonzalez J, Solis-Urra P, Verdejo-Roman J, Aguilera CM, Escolano-Margarit MV, Verdejo-Garcia A, Catena A, Moliner-Urdiales D, Ortega FB. Inflammatory biomarkers and brain health indicators in children with overweight and obesity: The ActiveBrains project. Brain Behav Immun. 2019 Oct;81:588-597. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.07.020. Epub 2019 Jul 19.

    PubMed 31330300

  • Plaza-Florido A, Migueles JH, Mora-Gonzalez J, Molina-Garcia P, Rodriguez-Ayllon M, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Esteban-Cornejo I, Navarrete S, Maria Lozano R, Michels N, Sacha J, Ortega FB. The Role of Heart Rate on the Associations Between Body Composition and Heart Rate Variability in Children With Overweight/Obesity: The ActiveBrains Project. Front Physiol. 2019 Jul 16;10:895. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00895. eCollection 2019.

    PubMed 31379602

  • Solis-Urra P, Esteban-Cornejo I, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Rodriguez-Ayllon M, Mora-Gonzalez J, Migueles JH, Labayen I, Verdejo-Roman J, Kramer AF, Erickson KI, Hillman CH, Catena A, Ortega FB. Early life factors, gray matter brain volume and academic performance in overweight/obese children: The ActiveBrains project. Neuroimage. 2019 Nov 15;202:116130. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116130. Epub 2019 Aug 26.

    PubMed 31465844

  • Leppanen MH, Migueles JH, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Henriksson P, Mora-Gonzalez J, Henriksson H, Labayen I, Lof M, Esteban-Cornejo I, Ortega FB. Hip and wrist accelerometers showed consistent associations with fitness and fatness in children aged 8-12 years. Acta Paediatr. 2020 May;109(5):995-1003. doi: 10.1111/apa.15043. Epub 2019 Oct 20.

    PubMed 31583747

  • Ubago-Guisado E, Gracia-Marco L, Medrano M, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Arenaza L, Migueles JH, Mora-Gonzalez J, Tobalina I, Escolano-Margarit MV, Oses M, Martin-Matillas M, Labayen I, Ortega FB. Differences in areal bone mineral density between metabolically healthy and unhealthy overweight/obese children: the role of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness. Pediatr Res. 2020 Jun;87(7):1219-1225. doi: 10.1038/s41390-019-0708-x. Epub 2019 Dec 10.

    PubMed 31822016

  • Rodriguez-Ayllon M, Esteban-Cornejo I, Verdejo-Roman J, Muetzel RL, Migueles JH, Mora-Gonzalez J, Solis-Urra P, Erickson KI, Hillman CH, Catena A, Tiemeier H, Ortega FB. Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and White Matter Microstructure in Children with Overweight or Obesity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2020 May;52(5):1218-1226. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002233.

    PubMed 31876665

  • Mora-Gonzalez J, Esteban-Cornejo I, Solis-Urra P, Migueles JH, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Molina-Garcia P, Rodriguez-Ayllon M, Hillman CH, Catena A, Pontifex MB, Ortega FB. Fitness, physical activity, sedentary time, inhibitory control, and neuroelectric activity in children with overweight or obesity: The ActiveBrains project. Psychophysiology. 2020 Jun;57(6):e13579. doi: 10.1111/psyp.13579. Epub 2020 Apr 6.

    PubMed 32249933

  • Zavala-Crichton JP, Esteban-Cornejo I, Solis-Urra P, Mora-Gonzalez J, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Rodriguez-Ayllon M, Migueles JH, Molina-Garcia P, Verdejo-Roman J, Kramer AF, Hillman CH, Erickson KI, Catena A, Ortega FB. Association of Sedentary Behavior with Brain Structure and Intelligence in Children with Overweight or Obesity: The ActiveBrains Project. J Clin Med. 2020 Apr 12;9(4):1101. doi: 10.3390/jcm9041101.

    PubMed 32290576

  • Rodriguez-Ayllon M, Esteban-Cornejo I, Verdejo-Roman J, Muetzel RL, Mora-Gonzalez J, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Plaza-Florido A, Molina-Garcia P, Kramer AF, Catena A, Ortega FB. Physical fitness and white matter microstructure in children with overweight or obesity: the ActiveBrains project. Sci Rep. 2020 Jul 27;10(1):12469. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-67996-2.

    PubMed 32719329

  • Mora-Gonzalez J, Esteban-Cornejo I, Migueles JH, Rodriguez-Ayllon M, Molina-Garcia P, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Solis-Urra P, Plaza-Florido A, Kramer AF, Erickson KI, Hillman CH, Catena A, Ortega FB. Physical fitness and brain source localization during a working memory task in children with overweight/obesity: The ActiveBrains project. Dev Sci. 2021 May;24(3):e13048. doi: 10.1111/desc.13048. Epub 2020 Oct 25.

    PubMed 33037758

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing A 5-months physical exercise-based program in people with Cognitive Function 1, Social and Mental Health Wellness 1, run by Universidad de Granada.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 May 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Changes in Brain function and structure using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (time frame: 20 days during baselines and Post-evaluations (after intervention).). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02295072, which also lists 22 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 May 2025.

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