Improving Physical Activity With Cognitive Impairment

Summary

Individuals with mild cognitive impairment are often physically inactive and at risk for progressing to dementia. Physical inactivity is considered a modifiable risk factor for dementia. Therefore, interventions must be developed to foster sustainable improvement in daily physical activity. To address this problem, our pilot study aims are directed at assessing the feasibility and preliminary improvement of physical activity following the use of a mobile-health technology physical activity behavior change intervention. Similar interventions have shown to be very effective in older adults without cognitive impairment. We specifically focus on the subtype of amnestic mild cognitive impairment since this subtype often progresses to Alzheimer's Disease, a leading cause of death in the US. Improving physical activity is one approach to reduce the progression to Alzheimer's Disease and subsequently lower mortality. To increase the impact of the intervention, participants with amnestic mild cognitive impairment will be recruited along with a primary caregiver (dyads). Thirty dyads will be recruited and randomized to either an intervention group (15 dyads) or usual care group (15 dyads). The intervention group will receive a 12-week mobile-health technology physical activity behavior change intervention structured to improve physical activity. The intervention is unique in the combination of established behavior change theories and techniques and remote delivery for individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. This pilot study is designed to assess the feasibility of the intervention by examining participant and primary caregiver retention, intervention session attendance, intervention acceptability and safety, and qualitative perspectives. Secondly, this pilot study will assess preliminary improvement in physical activity (i.e., daily steps). Improvement will be determined based on significant changes in participants' daily steps observed via accelerometry post-intervention in the intervention group compared to the usual care control group. The results of this study will support future work (K-award and R01 submissions) to explore efficacy and larger-scale implementation to reach rural and underserved areas of Nebraska and beyond.

Conditions

• Mild Cognitive Impairment
• Caregiver Burnout

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Telerehabilitation physical activity behavioral (TPAB) intervention

The intervention includes the behavior change techniques of self-monitoring of behavior, action planning, graded tasks, restructuring the physical and social environment, problem-solving, and prompts/cues.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)

  collaborator NIH

• Creighton University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

50 Years

Max Age

85 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-02-01

Primary Completion

2025-06-30

Completion

2025-06-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations