Exercise Training to Improve Cognitive Function

Not Applicable

Completed

Brief Summary: This project is assessing the feasibility of a novel home-based exercise intervention to improve episodic memory in individuals with mild cognitive impairment.

Detailed Description: Background/Rationale:

Alzheimer's disease (AD) afflicts nearly 6 million Americans, a number projected to grow in coming decades. AD is known to have a long preclinical phase in which pathophysiologic processes develop many years, even decades, before the onset of clinical symptoms. During this preclinical phase there is evidence of unremitting decline in cognitive function, particularly in episodic memory. Thus far, evidence of the efficacy of pharmacological interventions to slow this decline in cognitive function has been limited, leading to increasing interest in the utility of nonpharmacological interventions including exercise.

Objective:

The investigators propose to assess the feasibility of a novel home-based exercise intervention to improve episodic memory in Veterans with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods:

The investigators will estimate the difference between the intervention (n=30) and the control group (n=30) on 6-month change in episodic memory (Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, Wechsler Logical Memory Test) as well as the effect size, which will be used as a basis for sample size calculation for a proposed larger study. Participants will be male and female Veterans 50 years of age or older with amnestic MCI.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Exercise group	Structured exercise	Structured exercise
Control group	Health Education	Health education

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Delayed Recall Score on Wechsler Logical Memory Task From Baseline to 6 Months	baseline and 6 months	Wechsler Logical Memory Task is a recall test involving 2 short stories. Possible scores on the delayed recall task range from 0 (no details recalled for both stories) to 50 (all details recalled on both stories). Outcome is change in the delayed recall score from baseline to 6 months.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Delayed Recall Score on the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test From Baseline to 6 Months	baseline and 6 months	Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test is a recall test involving a complex figure. Possible scores on the delayed recall task range from 0 (no accurate details recalled for the figure) to 36 (all details accurately recalled for the figure). Outcome is change in the delayed recall score from baseline to 6 months.