Mild Cognitive ImpairmentNCT07644156
The Impact of Physical Exercise on Working Memory in Elderly People With Mild Cognitive Impairment
A study testing Resistance band exercise intervention, Brisk walking intervention and Eight-Section brocade exercise intervention in people with Mild Cognitive Impairment, run by Shanghai University of Sport at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
Age-related cognitive decline has evolved into a global public health concern, with deteriorated executive function serving as its predominant manifestation. Working memory, a vital component of executive function, refers to a capacity-limited system that temporarily stores and manipulates information during… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 65 to 95 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- What is being tested?
- Resistance band exercise intervention, Brisk walking intervention and Eight-Section brocade exercise intervention
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 80 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 4 Mar 2026to 31 Aug 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 65 to 95 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age >= 65years;
- Free from major organic diseases or cardiovascular diseases, and showing no contraindications to exercise according to the pre-exercise screening questionnaire developed by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM);
- Able to communicate effectively and, subject to their condition, cooperate in completing questionnaires and tests;
- Willing to participate in this study and sign an informed consent form.
Who cannot join
- Suffering from severe cognitive impairment, mental illness or other neurodegenerative diseases (such as Parkinson's dementia, stroke, frontotemporal degeneration, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, etc.), where the condition impairs communication or the ability to follow experimental instructions;
- Suffering from severe physical injuries that prevent prolonged standing, standing or participation in physical activities;
- Currently taking, or having taken in the recent past, psychotropic drugs or medications that affect physical mobility;
- Plans for surgical treatment in the near future (within the next 6 months);
- Unwillingness to participate in or withdrawal from this study.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
China1 site
Shanghai University of Sport
Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200438
About this study
Age-related cognitive decline has evolved into a global public health concern, with deteriorated executive function serving as its predominant manifestation. Working memory, a vital component of executive function, refers to a capacity-limited system that temporarily stores and manipulates information during sophisticated cognitive processes such as language comprehension, learning, and reasoning. It constitutes the core of general cognitive functioning and underpins daily functional performance.
The prefrontal cortex is a pivotal brain region subserving working memory and is highly vulnerable to pathological aging. Advancing age triggers prefrontal cortical atrophy and reduced synaptic density, which in turn induces working memory impairment. Consistently, existing evidence identifies working memory as one of the cognitive domains most susceptible to aging and among the first functions compromised in neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease.
Read more
As a non-pharmacological strategy, physical exercise intervention has been validated to exert favorable effects on cognitive improvement. Both aerobic and resistance training effectively ameliorate working memory; nevertheless, head-to-head evidence comparing their intervention efficacy among older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) remains scarce, particularly regarding underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. This study aims to explore the impacts of physical training on working memory in older women living with MCI.
Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of both a single exercise session and a 12-week intervention on upper- and lower-limb muscle strength and working memory in older women with MCI. In addition, we sought to examine the statistical associations between changes in muscle strength and working memory, with particular attention to the potential mediating role of muscle strength changes. Previous studies have suggested that interventions targeting muscle strength and physical function in middle-aged and older adults are commonly implemented over 12-52 weeks at a frequency of two to three sessions per week, whereas exercise interventions targeting cognitive function in older adults are often conducted over 12-24 weeks at a similar frequency. Based on this evidence, together with feasibility considerations in residential care settings, we adopted a 12-week intervention delivered three times per week. This study contributes to the literature by integrating both acute and chronic effects within a single randomized controlled framework and by exploring the muscle strength-cognition pathway as a potential explanatory mechanism for exercise-related cognitive benefits.
- Conditions
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- Being tested
- Resistance band exercise intervention, Brisk walking intervention, Eight-Section brocade exercise intervention, Control
- Keywords
- mild cognitive impairment, elastic resistance band training, working memory; muscle strength, randomized controlled trial
- Medical subject headings
- Cognitive Dysfunction
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Resistance band exercise interventionBehavioural
Perform resistance training using Thera-Band resistance bands. Warm up for 5 minutes; proceed to the main workout, which consists of 10 exercises. Perform 2 sets of each exercise, with 8 to 12 repetitions per set, resting for 1 minute between sets. The session lasts approximately 25 to 30 minutes; finish with a cool-down and stretching.
Brisk walking interventionBehavioural
Warm up for 5 minutes, then walk briskly for 25 to 30 minutes once you reach your target heart rate for moderate intensity (65%-75% of HRmax); finish with a cool-down.
Eight-Section brocade exercise interventionBehavioural
A 5-minute warm-up and stretching session; followed by two sets of the 'Eight Brocades' fitness qigong routine compiled by the General Administration of Sport, lasting approximately 24 minutes in total; and finally, a cool-down and relaxation session.
ControlBehavioural
Maintain current routine.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance band exercise intervention | Experimental | Perform resistance training using Thera-Band resistance bands. Warm up for 5 minutes; proceed to the main workout, which consists of 10 exercises. Perform 2 sets of each exercise, with 8 to 12 repetitions per set, resting for 1 minute between sets. The session lasts approximately 25 to 30 minutes; finish with a cool-down and stretching. Receives: Behavioral: Resistance band exercise intervention |
| Brisk walking intervention | Experimental | Warm up for 5 minutes, then walk briskly for 25 to 30 minutes once you reach your target heart rate for moderate intensity (65%-75% of HRmax); finish with a cool-down. Receives: Behavioral: Brisk walking intervention |
| Eight-Section brocade exercise intervention | Experimental | A 5-minute warm-up and stretching session; followed by two sets of the 'Eight Brocades' fitness qigong routine compiled by the General Administration of Sport, lasting approximately 24 minutes in total; and finally, a cool-down and relaxation session. Receives: Behavioral: Eight-Section brocade exercise intervention |
| Control group | Placebo comparator | Maintain current routine. Receives: Behavioral: Control |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
The N-back working memory task
Implemented using E-Prime 3.0 software, with Arabic numerals as stimuli. Participants were required to respond according to the task instructions, recording reaction time (RT)and accuracy (ACC).
Measured: This study runs from 4 March 2026 to 31 August 2026. Each participant receives assessments within one week at baseline and one week after intervention.
Secondary outcomes (1)
Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale
Global cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), which includes 11 items covering attention, executive function, memory, language, visuospatial ability, abstraction, calculation, and orientation. The total score ranges from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating better cognitive function. One point was added for participants with fewer than 12 years of education.
Measured: This study runs from 4 March 2026 to 31 August 2026. Each participant receives assessments within one week at baseline and one week after intervention.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted12 Jun 2026
- Study start4 Mar 2026
- Primary completion31 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Aug 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Mild Cognitive ImpairmentStudies 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
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Shanghai University of Sport
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Peng Wang, Shanghai University of Sport
- Investigators
- Xing Wang, Study director, Shanghai University of Sport
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07644156
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 102772025RT275
- Other IDs
- 22BTY076, 11DZ2261100, 102772025RT275
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 7 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 12 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 12 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Impact of Physical Exercise on Working Memory in Elderly People With Mild Cognitive Impairment
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07644156
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 102772025RT275
- Conditions
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- Keywords
- mild cognitive impairment, elastic resistance band training, working memory; muscle strength, randomized controlled trial
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Enrolling by invitation
- Enrolment
- 80 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Shanghai University of SportUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 4 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 12 Jun 2026 (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.
Age-related cognitive decline has evolved into a global public health concern, with deteriorated executive function serving as its predominant manifestation. Working memory, a vital component of executive function, refers to a capacity-limited system that temporarily stores and manipulates information during sophisticated cognitive processes such as language comprehension, learning, and reasoning. It constitutes the core of general cognitive functioning and underpins daily functional performance.
The prefrontal cortex is a pivotal brain region subserving working memory and is highly vulnerable to pathological aging. Advancing age triggers prefrontal cortical atrophy and reduced synaptic density, which in turn induces working memory impairment. Consistently, existing evidence identifies working memory as one of the cognitive domains most susceptible to aging and among the first functions compromised in neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease.
As a non-pharmacological strategy, physical exercise intervention has been validated to exert favorable effects on cognitive improvement. Both aerobic and resistance training effectively ameliorate working memory; nevertheless, head-to-head evidence comparing their intervention efficacy among older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) remains scarce, particularly regarding underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. This study aims to explore the impacts of physical training on working memory in older women living with MCI.
Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of both a single exercise session and a 12-week intervention on upper- and lower-limb muscle strength and working memory in older women with MCI. In addition, we sought to examine the statistical associations between changes in muscle strength and working memory, with particular attention to the potential mediating role of muscle strength changes. Previous studies have suggested that interventions targeting muscle strength and physical function in middle-aged and older adults are commonly implemented over 12-52 weeks at a frequency of two to three sessions per week, whereas exercise interventions targeting cognitive function in older adults are often conducted over 12-24 weeks at a similar frequency. Based on this evidence, together with feasibility considerations in residential care settings, we adopted a 12-week intervention delivered three times per week. This study contributes to the literature by integrating both acute and chronic effects within a single randomized controlled framework and by exploring the muscle strength-cognition pathway as a potential explanatory mechanism for exercise-related cognitive benefits.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance band exercise intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Resistance band exercise interventionPerform resistance training using Thera-Band resistance bands. Warm up for 5 minutes; proceed to the main workout, which consists of 10 exercises. Perform 2 sets of each exercise, with 8 to 12 repetitions per set, resting for 1 minute between sets. The session lasts approximately 25 to 30 minutes; finish with a cool-down and stretching. |
| Brisk walking intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Brisk walking interventionWarm up for 5 minutes, then walk briskly for 25 to 30 minutes once you reach your target heart rate for moderate intensity (65%-75% of HRmax); finish with a cool-down. |
| Eight-Section brocade exercise intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Eight-Section brocade exercise interventionA 5-minute warm-up and stretching session; followed by two sets of the 'Eight Brocades' fitness qigong routine compiled by the General Administration of Sport, lasting approximately 24 minutes in total; and finally, a cool-down and relaxation session. |
| Control group | Placebo comparator | Behavioral: ControlMaintain current routine. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 65 to 95 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Age >= 65years;
- Free from major organic diseases or cardiovascular diseases, and showing no contraindications to exercise according to the pre-exercise screening questionnaire developed by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM);
- Able to communicate effectively and, subject to their condition, cooperate in completing questionnaires and tests;
- Willing to participate in this study and sign an informed consent form.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Suffering from severe cognitive impairment, mental illness or other neurodegenerative diseases (such as Parkinson's dementia, stroke, frontotemporal degeneration, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, etc.), where the condition impairs communication or the ability to follow experimental instructions;
- Suffering from severe physical injuries that prevent prolonged standing, standing or participation in physical activities;
- Currently taking, or having taken in the recent past, psychotropic drugs or medications that affect physical mobility;
- Plans for surgical treatment in the near future (within the next 6 months);
- Unwillingness to participate in or withdrawal from this study.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance band exercise interventionPerform resistance training using Thera-Band resistance bands. Warm up for 5 minutes; proceed to the main workout, which consists of 10 exercises. Perform 2 sets of each exercise, with 8 to 12 repetitions per set, resting for 1 minute between sets. The session lasts approximately 25 to 30 minutes; finish with a cool-down and stretching. | Behavioural | Resistance band exercise intervention |
| Brisk walking interventionWarm up for 5 minutes, then walk briskly for 25 to 30 minutes once you reach your target heart rate for moderate intensity (65%-75% of HRmax); finish with a cool-down. | Behavioural | Brisk walking intervention |
| Eight-Section brocade exercise interventionA 5-minute warm-up and stretching session; followed by two sets of the 'Eight Brocades' fitness qigong routine compiled by the General Administration of Sport, lasting approximately 24 minutes in total; and finally, a cool-down and relaxation session. | Behavioural | Eight-Section brocade exercise intervention |
| ControlMaintain current routine. | Behavioural | Control group |
Primary outcome
The N-back working memory task
Time frame: This study runs from 4 March 2026 to 31 August 2026. Each participant receives assessments within one week at baseline and one week after intervention.
Implemented using E-Prime 3.0 software, with Arabic numerals as stimuli. Participants were required to respond according to the task instructions, recording reaction time (RT)and accuracy (ACC).
1 secondary outcome
Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale
Time frame: This study runs from 4 March 2026 to 31 August 2026. Each participant receives assessments within one week at baseline and one week after intervention.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 12 Jun 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
Xing Wang study director
Shanghai University of Sport
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Resistance band exercise intervention, Brisk walking intervention and Eight-Section brocade exercise intervention in people with Mild Cognitive Impairment, run by Shanghai University of Sport at 1 site in China.
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 5 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: enrolling by invitation, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Jun 2026. 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 China. 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. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
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?
The N-back working memory task (time frame: This study runs from 4 March 2026 to 31 August 2026. Each participant receives assessments within one week at baseline and one week after intervention.). 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 12 Jun 2026.