Exploring the Effects of Exercise on Memory and Cognition in Parkinson´s Disease

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

cardiovascular training: Cardiovascular training will be performed in supervised sessions and in small groups of 2-5 persons at the study site. The training is performed on a cycle ergometer at 60% of peak power output (Wmax) for 30 min (i.e., 5 min warm-up, 20 min at 60% Wmax, 5 min cool-down) three times a week for twelve weeks. The exercise program will be increased by 5 min (max. 55 min) and 5% of intensity (in Watt) every two weeks. If participants report a too low (i.e., Borg scale ≤ 11) or too high (i.e., Borg scale ≥ 16) subjective rate of perceived exertion (RPE; Borg scale 6-20) intensity will be increased or decreased until the target levels are met (i.e., Borg scale 12-15). During training, heart rate, intensity (in Watt) and RPE will be monitored. Participants missing training sessions will be offered an additional week to perform up to three training sessions.

stretching: The stretching training will be performed in supervised sessions and in small groups of 2-5 persons at the study site. Stretching training consists of lying, seated, and standing flexibility exercises (according to the recommendations of the American Parkinson´s Disease Foundation and the Parkinson Society Canada) for 30 min (i.e., 5 min warm-up, 20 min main part, 5 min cool-down) three times a week for twelve weeks. The exercise program will be increased by 5 min (i.e., adding additional repetitions and exercises; max. 55 min) every two weeks. Intensity of stretching exercises will be assessed by subjective rate of perceived muscle tension on a visual analog scale (VAS) from 0 to 10 and will be moderate defined as 5 to 7 on the VAS. During training VAS, heart rate, and RPE will be monitored. Participants missing training sessions will be offered an additional week to perform up to three training sessions.

Study summary

The study aims to assess the effects of cardiovascular (aerobic) training on memory formation and cognitive function in people with Parkinson's disease. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of two groups either performing cardiovascular training (experimental group) or stretching (control group) for twelve weeks, three times a week. The primary aim is to examine whether moderate-intense cardiovascular training (MICT) improves procedural memory formation (primary outcome) compared to stretching. Secondary outcomes include episodic memory formation, cognitive function, cardiorespiratory fitness, sleep quality, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) blood concentration levels.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Non-declarative, procedural memory (motor sequence learning) global learning score - Visuomotor Serial Targeting Task (VSTT) — Week 1-2: pre-assessment (baseline within two weeks before intervention), Week 15-16: post-assessment (within two weeks after intervention)
  To evaluate non-declarative (procedural) memory formation, a Visuomotor Serial Targeting Task (VSTT) will be used, which is widely applied to study motor sequence learning. A global motor learning score (i.e., \[relative\] change from start of encoding to 24h recall test) will be calculated for explicit (i.e., correct anticipatory movements defined as movements with onset times lower than in random trials and directed to the correct target \[directional error at peak velocity \<22°\]) and implicit (i.e., spatial error to target defined as shortest distance of the movement end point from the center of the target) components of motor sequence learning and the change (delta) in the global motor learning scores from pre- to post-assessment will be analyzed. Hence, two outcome measures from the VSTT are considered to answer the primary research question: (i) change in explicit global motor learning score, and (ii) change in implicit global motor learning score from pre- to post-assessment.

Trial sites (1)

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