The Link Between Physical Activity and Brain Health in Healthy Adults

Recruiting now

Conditions studied: Alzheimer Disease, Inactivity, Preventive Therapy

In brief

The goal of this observational study is to investigate the cross-sectional relationship between physical activity and brain health from a multiscale approach (neuropsychology, neuroimaging, peripheral biomarkers and genetics) in former athletes and sedentary individuals. The main question it aims to answer is: Do former athletes have better brain structure than sedentary people? Evaluating the differences in neurodegenerative processes between competitive training and sedentary and inactivity.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07025070

Run by

Technical University of Madrid

People needed

60

Starts

2024-11-25

Expected to finish

2026-09-01

Last updated by the study team

2025-06-17

Who can join

Age: 40 and older, up to 75. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Group A: ex-athletes and continue to perform regular physical exercise (minimum 3 days/week of moderate-vigorous intensity).
• Group B: sedentary individuals, (i.e., perform <150 min of moderate intensity exercise per week or IPAQ score<600 MET min/week).
• In both groups (A and B) the conditions of physical exercise or sedentary lifestyle must have been maintained for at least 6 months prior to the evaluations.
• Not having a history of neurological or psychiatric disorder or suffering from a serious medical condition

You may not qualify if…

• Medical conditions that have a high risk of associated cognitive symptoms.
• Severe head injury with loss of consciousness within the previous 5 years.
• Alcoholism (>3 alcoholic drinks per day).
• Chronic use of anxiolytics, neuroleptics, narcotics, anticonvulsants, or sedative hypnotics.
• Hearing or visual impairment that would preclude testing
• History of neurological disease with clinically relevant impact on cognition (e.g. cerebrovascular disease).
• Incidental structural brain findings with impact on cognitive impairment or survival (e.g., malignant brain tumor).
• Presence of severe systemic disease (e.g., cancer under treatment).
• Consumption of anabolic substances.
• Problems understanding spoken or written Spanish.
• Those with pacemakers or metallic implants that may interfere with the MRI.

Where it is running

• Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences (INEF) — Madrid, Madrid, Spain (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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