Cognitive ChangeMATRICESNCT05530148
Effects of a Complex, Partnered Martial Arts-based Intervention on Cognitive Processing.
A study testing Martial Arts Training Group and Flexing, Toning and Balance in people with Cognitive Change and Processing, Visual Spatial, run by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The investigators' study is designed to test whether prolonged exposure to a martial arts-based intervention (three complex, partner exercises based on Filipino, Chinese and Thai martial arts practices), can improve cognitive processing to a greater degree than resistive exercise of a similar intensity. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 45 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Cognitive Change, Processing, Visual Spatial
- What is being tested?
- Martial Arts Training Group and Flexing, Toning and Balance
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 72 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2022to 17 Apr 2023
- 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 18 to 45 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Men and Women between the ages of 18-45 years reporting lower levels of physical activity (sedentary or mild physical activity levels only)
Who cannot join
- Anyone who is physically active (≥30 minutes, 3 or more times/week, for the last 3 months) and/or a regular practitioner of martial arts and/or highly complex coordination drills such as dance and exercises related to coordinated movement (≥30 minutes, 3 or more times/week, for the last 3 months).
- Anyone with serious chronic medical conditions that would preclude them from participating without a physician present, or anyone with a risk of seizure, or anyone having psychiatric and/or neurological disorders.
- Pregnant women or anyone with recent (within the two months) surgery on their shoulders, elbows, knees or hips.
- Anyone who is currently diagnosed with depression and is receiving treatment (medication or counselling) for their depression.
- Anyone incapable of performing the following movements at a moderate intensity- sitting, standing, kicking, pulling, pushing, bending one's elbows or bending one's knees.
- Anyone who scores 1 or more on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire
Show all 10Show fewer
- Anyone refusing or unwilling to be randomized into either of the conditions.
- Anyone with insufficient proficiency (fluency) in English to understand the
- Anyone with blood pressure readings exceeding our safety limits (systolic >160 and diastolic >90)
- Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 60 days
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Exercise, Technology, and Cognition Laboratory - Louise Freer Hall 284
Urbana, Illinois, 61801
About this study
Official title: Investigating the Effects of a Complex, Partnered Martial Arts-based Intervention on Processing Speed in Comparison to Less Complex Exercise in Low-active Adults.
The investigators' study is designed to test whether prolonged exposure to a martial arts-based intervention (three complex, partner exercises based on Filipino, Chinese and Thai martial arts practices), can improve cognitive processing to a greater degree than resistive exercise of a similar intensity.
Read the detailed description
This two-group randomized controlled trial will compare the effects of a martial arts intervention vs. resistive exercise condition. The martial arts intervention will consist of partnered, coordinated exercises drawn from south-east Asian martial arts, including Fillipino Kali, Chinese Wing Chun Kung Fu and Muay Thai (also known as Thai Boxing). Participants will be trained in the fundamental movements of the exercises known as hubud, chi sau and padwork. Participants will also have the history, cultural significance, risks and purpose of these exercises explained to them throughout the study.
The resistive exercise comparator group will use a series of bodyweight resistance, band resistance and postural exercises to match the duration and exercise intensity of the martial arts intervention group, under the supervision of trained research assistants. Participants will also receive information on aerobic exercise and the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans 2020.
All participants, regardless of group, will be assessed for martial arts and exercise experience once at baseline.
All participants will be tested for cognitive performance change. Baseline and follow-up computerized cognitive testing will take place at a specified testing facility and psychosocial questionnaires will be delivered remotely via a Qualtrics-powered survey. After baseline testing, participants will be asked to attend as many sessions (maximum 24 sessions) delivered over the course of an 8-week intervention period as they can, approximately 1 hour each. Follow-up testing will be administered more than 48 hours post-intervention to minimize established acute adaptive responses to exercise.
The investigators hypothesize the martial arts training intervention group will exhibit a greater increase in performance of cognitive processing tasks when compared to less complex movement patterns involved in the resistive exercise group.
- Conditions
- Cognitive Change, Processing, Visual Spatial
- Being tested
- Martial Arts Training Group, Flexing, Toning and Balance
- Keywords
- Cognitive Performance, Complex movement, Skill Acquisition, Processing Speed
- Medical subject headings
- Spatial Processing
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Martial Arts Training GroupBehavioural
Participants in the experimental intervention group will attend as many of the 24 in-person training sessions as possible, and complete remote solo training at their leisure, for the duration of the intervention period. During the in-person sessions, they will be instructed in the three exercises practiced in the experimental group, known as hubud, chi sau and padwork. Hubud is a turn-based, partnered, coordination drill involving moves derived from numerous martial arts, most often seen in the Filipino martial art of Kali. Chi Sau is a simultaneous contact drill from Chinese Kung Fu, specifically the Wing Chun school. Padwork is an amalgam of punching and kicking combinations used against focus pads or padded sticks to improve coordination, most commonly seen in kickboxing and Muay Thai. Participants will aim to reach a level of comfort and competency in the basic, non-competitive aspects of these exercises by the end of their participation in this intervention.
Flexing, Toning and BalanceBehavioural
Also called Resistive Exercise Group, Active Comparison Group
Participants in the active comparator group will attend as many of the 24 in-person training sessions as possible, and complete remote solo training at their leisure, for the duration of the intervention period. During the in-person sessions, participants will start with a 5-minute warmup of basic joint mobilization exercises and dynamic stretching techniques. After this, participants will engage in a mild intensity circuit of exercises using resistance bands, bodyweight exercises and stability/balance exercises for approximately 50 minutes. The last 5 minutes of the session will be left for cooldown exercises and light stretching. Heartrate will be monitored regularly in order to prevent these exercises exceeding the relative intensity of the Martial Arts intervention group. Participants will be allowed to talk and interact with research assistants in order to keep socialization effects consistent across groups.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Martial Arts Group | Experimental | Participants will be trained in the martial arts exercises using both in-person group sessions and asynchronous remote learning via video content distributed to them each week. Participants will be asked to attend as many of the 24 in-person sessions as they can. Heartrate will be monitored periodically to make sure the intensity of exercise is consistent with mild to moderate cardiovascular exercise as in the active comparator. Receives: Behavioral: Martial Arts Training Group |
| Flexing, Toning and Balance | Active comparator | Flexibility, Toning and Balance or FTB will be used to refer to our resistive exercise comparison. As in the experimental group, participants will be asked to attend as many of the 24 in-person intervention sessions as they can, whilst also practicing the exercises remotely via video content distributed to them. The remote portion of this intervention will be asynchronous. Heart-rate will be monitored periodically to make sure the intensity of exercise is consistent with mild to moderate cardiovascular exercise as in the martial arts experimental group. Receives: Behavioral: Flexing, Toning and Balance |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Processing Speed (Latent Factor)
Cognitive processing speed will be modeled within a latent variable framework reflecting standardized scores from four heterogeneous assessments involving visual stimuli. Performance for all of these tasks will be measured by number of correct responses (accuracy) as well as reaction/decision-making times.
Measured: 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes (5)
Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire
This is a 4-item assessment of physical activity. Respondents are asked the frequency they engage in strenuous, moderate and mild activity for 15 minutes or more as part of their free time. Weekly leisure time exercise is measured using a weighted formula as follows:
(9 x strenuous PA) + (5 x moderate PA) + (3 x light PA)
Measured: 8 weeks
Memory
Frequency of Forgetting is a 10-item scale asking participants to score on a 1-10 Likert scale how often they forget or have difficulty remembering certain things. On this scale, 1 = Always and 10 = Never. The measure is typically scored as a sum of all responses, with a higher number indicating better memory/recall and lower numbers indicating poorer memory/recall. The first item also serves as a standalone measure.
Measured: 8 weeks
Enjoyment of Exercise
The Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) was originally an 18-item scale for assessing PA enjoyment, and has been further refined and psychometrically tested by Mullen and his colleagues (Massey et al 2021; Mullen et al 2011). The 7-item version is a reliable and time-invariant measure. The scale asks participants "How do you feel at the moment about the physical activity you have been doing?" and responses are provided on 7-point Likert scales. For example, "Its no fun at all" and "Its a lot of fun" represent bipolar anchors. Items are added and averaged whereby higher scores reflect greater levels of enjoyment.
Measured: 8 weeks
Perceived Mental Fatigue
A novel, 7-item assessment of current state of mental fatigue will be used (example items include "My thoughts easily wander," "My thinking requires effort.") The scales response ranges from 1 (not true at all) to 5 (very true) and all items are summed and averaged whereby higher scores indicated greater mental fatigue.
Measured: 8 weeks
Perceptions of Mastery
Perceptions of Mastery has four items scored on a 5-point likert scale. Two items ask participants to rate their current level of knowledge/mastery and two items address performance and skill status; with -2 meaning 'rapidly declining' and +2 meaning 'rapidly improving.' Scores are summed and then average to give a measure of perceived mastery.
Measured: 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Sep 2022
- Study start1 Sep 2022
- Primary completion11 Apr 2023
- Study completion17 Apr 2023
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Cognitive ChangeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- The study is a single-blind randomized trial with parallel groups design involving an experimental exercise and an exercise comparison.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 72 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Sean Mullen, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Investigators
- Sean P Mullen, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05530148
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 23222
- Acronym
- MATRICES
- Status last verified
- May 2023
- First submitted
- 30 Aug 2022
- Last updated
- 11 May 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: IPD will only be available to the Primary investigator and Lead research assistant of this study.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 May 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Investigating the Effects of a Complex, Partnered Martial Arts-based Intervention on Processing Speed in Comparison to Less Complex Exercise in Low-active Adults.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05530148
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MATRICES / 23222
- Conditions
- Cognitive Change, Processing, Visual Spatial
- Keywords
- Cognitive Performance, Complex movement, Skill Acquisition, Processing Speed
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 72 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 11 Apr 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 17 Apr 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 7 Sep 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The investigators' study is designed to test whether prolonged exposure to a martial arts-based intervention (three complex, partner exercises based on Filipino, Chinese and Thai martial arts practices), can improve cognitive processing to a greater degree than resistive exercise of a similar intensity.
Detailed description
This two-group randomized controlled trial will compare the effects of a martial arts intervention vs. resistive exercise condition. The martial arts intervention will consist of partnered, coordinated exercises drawn from south-east Asian martial arts, including Fillipino Kali, Chinese Wing Chun Kung Fu and Muay Thai (also known as Thai Boxing). Participants will be trained in the fundamental movements of the exercises known as hubud, chi sau and padwork. Participants will also have the history, cultural significance, risks and purpose of these exercises explained to them throughout the study.
The resistive exercise comparator group will use a series of bodyweight resistance, band resistance and postural exercises to match the duration and exercise intensity of the martial arts intervention group, under the supervision of trained research assistants. Participants will also receive information on aerobic exercise and the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans 2020.
All participants, regardless of group, will be assessed for martial arts and exercise experience once at baseline.
All participants will be tested for cognitive performance change. Baseline and follow-up computerized cognitive testing will take place at a specified testing facility and psychosocial questionnaires will be delivered remotely via a Qualtrics-powered survey. After baseline testing, participants will be asked to attend as many sessions (maximum 24 sessions) delivered over the course of an 8-week intervention period as they can, approximately 1 hour each. Follow-up testing will be administered more than 48 hours post-intervention to minimize established acute adaptive responses to exercise.
The investigators hypothesize the martial arts training intervention group will exhibit a greater increase in performance of cognitive processing tasks when compared to less complex movement patterns involved in the resistive exercise group.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- The study is a single-blind randomized trial with parallel groups design involving an experimental exercise and an exercise comparison.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Martial Arts Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Martial Arts Training GroupParticipants will be trained in the martial arts exercises using both in-person group sessions and asynchronous remote learning via video content distributed to them each week. Participants will be asked to attend as many of the 24 in-person sessions as they can. Heartrate will be monitored periodically to make sure the intensity of exercise is consistent with mild to moderate cardiovascular exercise as in the active comparator. |
| Flexing, Toning and Balance | Active comparator | Behavioral: Flexing, Toning and BalanceFlexibility, Toning and Balance or FTB will be used to refer to our resistive exercise comparison. As in the experimental group, participants will be asked to attend as many of the 24 in-person intervention sessions as they can, whilst also practicing the exercises remotely via video content distributed to them. The remote portion of this intervention will be asynchronous. Heart-rate will be monitored periodically to make sure the intensity of exercise is consistent with mild to moderate cardiovascular exercise as in the martial arts experimental group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 45 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Men and Women between the ages of 18-45 years reporting lower levels of physical activity (sedentary or mild physical activity levels only)
Key exclusion criteria (10 listed)
- Anyone who is physically active (≥30 minutes, 3 or more times/week, for the last 3 months) and/or a regular practitioner of martial arts and/or highly complex coordination drills such as dance and exercises related to coordinated movement (≥30 minutes, 3 or more times/week, for the last 3 months).
- Anyone with serious chronic medical conditions that would preclude them from participating without a physician present, or anyone with a risk of seizure, or anyone having psychiatric and/or neurological disorders.
- Pregnant women or anyone with recent (within the two months) surgery on their shoulders, elbows, knees or hips.
- Anyone who is currently diagnosed with depression and is receiving treatment (medication or counselling) for their depression.
- Anyone incapable of performing the following movements at a moderate intensity- sitting, standing, kicking, pulling, pushing, bending one's elbows or bending one's knees.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Martial Arts Training GroupParticipants in the experimental intervention group will attend as many of the 24 in-person training sessions as possible, and complete remote solo training at their leisure, for the duration of the intervention period. During the in-person sessions, they will be instructed in the three exercises practiced in the experimental group, known as hubud, chi sau and padwork. Hubud is a turn-based, partnered, coordination drill involving moves derived from numerous martial arts, most often seen in the Filipino martial art of Kali. Chi Sau is a simultaneous contact drill from Chinese Kung Fu, specifically the Wing Chun school. Padwork is an amalgam of punching and kicking combinations used against focus pads or padded sticks to improve coordination, most commonly seen in kickboxing and Muay Thai. Participants will aim to reach a level of comfort and competency in the basic, non-competitive aspects of these exercises by the end of their participation in this intervention. | Behavioural | Martial Arts Group |
| Flexing, Toning and BalanceAlso: Resistive Exercise Group, Active Comparison GroupParticipants in the active comparator group will attend as many of the 24 in-person training sessions as possible, and complete remote solo training at their leisure, for the duration of the intervention period. During the in-person sessions, participants will start with a 5-minute warmup of basic joint mobilization exercises and dynamic stretching techniques. After this, participants will engage in a mild intensity circuit of exercises using resistance bands, bodyweight exercises and stability/balance exercises for approximately 50 minutes. The last 5 minutes of the session will be left for cooldown exercises and light stretching. Heartrate will be monitored regularly in order to prevent these exercises exceeding the relative intensity of the Martial Arts intervention group. Participants will be allowed to talk and interact with research assistants in order to keep socialization effects consistent across groups. | Behavioural | Flexing, Toning and Balance |
Primary outcome
Processing Speed (Latent Factor)
Time frame: 8 weeks
Cognitive processing speed will be modeled within a latent variable framework reflecting standardized scores from four heterogeneous assessments involving visual stimuli. Performance for all of these tasks will be measured by number of correct responses (accuracy) as well as reaction/decision-making times.
5 secondary outcomes
Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire
Time frame: 8 weeks
Memory
Time frame: 8 weeks
Enjoyment of Exercise
Time frame: 8 weeks
Perceived Mental Fatigue
Time frame: 8 weeks
Perceptions of Mastery
Time frame: 8 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 May 2023.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. IPD will only be available to the Primary investigator and Lead research assistant of this study.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Sean P Mullen, PhD principal investigator
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Martial Arts Training Group and Flexing, Toning and Balance in people with Cognitive Change and Processing, Visual Spatial, run by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign at 1 site in United States.
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 1 inclusion and 10 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 11 May 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
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?
Processing Speed (Latent Factor) (time frame: 8 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 11 May 2023.