Aerobic Exercise for Cognitive Functioning in Patients With Substance Use Disorder

Summary

Impaired cognitive function is common among patients with substance use disorder (SUD). This is particularly related to executive functions (EF), which includes abilities like decision-making, consequence analysis and impulse/self-control. EF is recognized as an important determinant of treatment outcome as it is associated with dropout rate, attendance to therapy sessions and absence of relapse following treatment termination. Exercise seem to improve cognitive/executive functions, particularly in individuals with cognitive impairments. Aerobic exercise also affects signaling substances and growth factors known to inhibit neural degeneration, and improves cerebral insulin sensitivity and blood flow, contributing to improved brain function. There is a lack of knowledge regarding how to improve EF in SUD patients, and whether such improvements can benefit other parts of the treatment, such as psychotherapy. Aerobic exercise is a well-recognized and cost-effective intervention for cardiovascular and metabolic health, with promising effects on cognitive/executive functions. A randomized controlled trial will be carried out to investigate the effects of aerobic exercise on EF, molecular markers of neuroplasticity and brain function, and treatment outcome in SUD patients. The investigators expect to achieve new knowledge regarding cognitive impairment among SUD patients and to what extent aerobic exercise can improve cognitive abilities and treatment outcome.

Conditions

• Substance Abuse
• Cognitive Dysfunction

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

High-intensity interval training

Supervised exercise intervention, three times a week for eight weeks.

BEHAVIORAL

Treatment as usual

The content of TAU is broadly individualized but most often includes various forms of group therapy, psychotherapy, psychoeducation and physical activity. The physical activity schedule for the patients typically includes gym-based exercises, individualized by preference of each patient, and various outdoors activities, four times per week all together.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Norwegian University of Science and Technology

  collaborator OTHER

• Lade Behandlingssenter, Blå Kors

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• St. Olavs Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Mats P Mosti, PhD · Department of Research and Development, St. Olavs University Hospital

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-04-07

Primary Completion

2024-12-20

Completion

2024-12-20

Countries

• Norway

Study Locations