IMAT Quality in Aging

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Aging

In brief

This study will test the central hypothesis that fat within the muscle, or intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT), exhibits elevated damage and pro-inflammatory signaling with aging, both of which are reduced by progressive resistance exercise (PRE). Sixteen older adults 65-80 years old will be recruited and complete a 12 week calf PRE intervention. Calf muscle strength, composition (measured by computed tomography) and muscle biopsies will be collected before and after the intervention. Histology, transcriptomic and secretomic tests will be completed to assess signs of damage and inflammation.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07506681

Run by

Washington University School of Medicine

People needed

16

Starts

2026-04-15

Expected to finish

2028-01-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-04-02

Who can join

Age: 65 and older, up to 80. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity scores between 3 and 5
• Able to don and doff the weighted vest
• Access to a smart phone and ability to navigate the phone to enter and manage a zoom intervention
• Commitment and availability to attend a virtual 40-minute intervention 3x per week for 12 weeks

You may not qualify if…

• Contraindications to radiation exposure (e.g. Women who are pregnant, previous high radiation exposure)
• Bleeding disorders
• Lower extremity trauma/surgery/injury or neuropathy that would impact muscle structure and function or ability to complete exercise intervention
• Diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, cancer, stage 4 hypertension, anemia, connective tissue disorder
• Neurological disorder (e.g. stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury)
• Medications: insulin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP1) agonists, sex hormone replacement therapy, chronic NSAIDs, anticoagulation therapy, cholesterol lowering medications such as statins
• Unable to safely perform the progressive resistance exercise (e.g. Vestibular or balance issues that make performing the intervention unsafe, severe osteoporosis or general fragility that limits weighted vest tolerance)

Where it is running

• Washington University — St Louis, Missouri, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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