Muévete conCiencia: Exercise and Mind-Body Program for University Students

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether different physical exercise and mind-body interventions can improve executive functions and reduce stress in first-year university students.

The study focuses on healthy undergraduate students, men and women, aged approximately 18-25 years, enrolled in health-related programs at a Chilean university.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Do high-intensity dual-task physical exercise interventions improve executive functions (working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility) and reduce stress in university students? Do mind-body exercise interventions (Tai Chi) reduce stress levels, measured through self-report and psychobiological biomarkers (cortisol)? Are there differential effects between high-intensity dual-task exercise, low-to-moderate intensity mind-body exercise, and cognitive training on executive functioning and stress-related outcomes?

Researchers will compare:

* high-intensity dual-task exercise group,
* low-to-moderate intensity mind-body exercise group (Tai Chi), and
* cognitive training group,

To determine whether physically integrated motor-cognitive training produces greater improvements in executive functions and stress biomarkers than mind-body exercise or cognitive stimulation alone.

Participants will:

Complete baseline pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments, Neuropsychological tests of executive functions (working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility), Self-reported academic stress questionnaires, Psychobiological measures of stress (hair cortisol, salivary cortisol), Physical activity, anthropometric, and sociodemographic assessments.

Participate for 12 weeks (22 sessions, twice per week) in one of the following interventions:

High-intensity dual-task physical exercise, combining aerobic, strength, and motor-cognitive tasks; Low-to-moderate intensity mind-body exercise (Tai Chi) emphasizing mindful movement, balance, breathing, and attentional control; Cognitive training sessions using a structured digital program. All sessions will be conducted in supervised, controlled settings by trained professionals, following standardized protocols to ensure safety, consistency, and adherence.

Conditions

• Healthy
• Healthy Adult Participants

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Motor-Cognitive Dual-Task Exercise (DT)

sessions include warm-up, circuit-based functional training integrating simultaneous motor and cognitive tasks (e.g., working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility), and cool-down. Exercise intensity is moderate to vigorous (≈64-89% HRmax), monitored using heart-rate monitoring and Borg's perceived exertion scale, with progressive overload across weeks.

BEHAVIORAL

Tai Chi Mind-Body Exercise (TC)

Tai Chi program based on a simplified Yang-style sequence. Sessions emphasize slow coordinated movements, balance, breathing, and mindful attention. Exercise intensity is low to moderate (≈55-70% HRmax), with progressive learning of movement sequences and focus on physiological and emotional

BEHAVIORAL

Cognitive Stimulation (CS)

Cognitive training program using digital graphomotor tasks delivered via specialized software. Sessions target executive functions (attention, working memory, planning, inhibitory control) through adaptive tasks with immediate feedback and individualized difficulty adjustment.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo

  collaborator OTHER

• Universidad San Sebastián

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

25 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-08-31

Primary Completion

2026-09-30

Completion

2027-04-30

Countries

• Chile

Study Locations