Effects of Step Training in Older Adults with Mild Dementia
Recruiting now · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Dementia
In brief
Step training has been shown to be effective at reducing the incidence of falls and improving related risk factors, including choice stepping, in healthy older adults. However, the effects of step training have not been investigated in OWMD. The primary objective of the proposed project will be to assess the effects of a step-training program involving concurrent stepping and visuospatial tasks on choice stepping, prefrontal cortex functioning during choice stepping, and fall-related outcomes (i.e., step length, lower-limb muscle strength, balance, mobility, dual-task ability, and fear of falling) in OWMD. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for the executive functions such as attention and inhibitory function, which are integral to choice stepping reaction time tasks. However, the effects of step training on prefrontal cortex functioning during choice stepping in OWMD remain unclear. The neural mechanisms underlying the potential effects of step training on choice stepping have never been investigated in this population. Therefore, the secondary objective of the proposed project will be to evaluate the mediating effects of changes in the prefrontal cortex functioning during choice stepping on the potential benefits of a step-training program for choice stepping in OWMD. The proposed project will provide robust evidence to support the use of step training to improve choice stepping and reduce the risk of falls in OWMD. Disentangling the neural mechanisms underlying the effects of step training will be crucial to the development of the most effective interventions to target these mechanisms.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT05655403
- Run by
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- People needed
- 145
- Starts
- 2024-01-01
- Expected to finish
- 2026-12-31
- Last updated by the study team
- 2025-03-13
Who can join
Age: 65 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- at least 65 years old;
- have a physician's diagnosis of dementia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition;
- have mild dementia, indicated by a score of 10 or higher on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Hong Kong version (HK-MoCA);
- able to walk 10 meters independently without a walking aid;
- receiving care by an unpaid "main caregiver" with at least 3.5 hours of face-to-face contact per week.
You may not qualify if…
- unable to perform step training due to unstable or severe musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory, or neurological conditions;
- have severe hearing and/or visual impairments that limit their ability to communicate;
- have been hospitalized within the past 30 days.
Where it is running
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Hong Kong, Hong Kong (enrolling)
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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