Study protocol for the BRAIN Training Trial: a randomised controlled trial of Balance, Resistance, And INterval training on cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment
Teresa Liu-Ambrose,
Ulrik Wisløff,
Maria Fiatarone Singh,
Yorgi Mavros,
Perminder S Sachdev,
Ryan S Falck,
Dorthe Stensvold,
Jeff S Coombes,
Trinidad Valenzuela,
Nicole Kochan,
Wei Wen,
Jeffrey Hausdorff,
Jiyang Jiang,
Emily C Smith,
Matthew Hollings,
Tess C Hawkins,
Nicholas J Ashley,
Natan Feter,
Guy C Wilson,
Isabel Hui En Shih,
Yareni Guerrero,
Tom Bailey
Affiliations
Teresa Liu-Ambrose
1 Department of Physical Therapy, The University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Ulrik Wisløff
Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
Maria Fiatarone Singh
8 Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Yorgi Mavros
University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Perminder S Sachdev
Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Ryan S Falck
1 Department of Physical Therapy, The University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Dorthe Stensvold
professor
Jeff S Coombes
professor
Trinidad Valenzuela
postdoctoral research associate
Nicole Kochan
2University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Wei Wen
Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Jeffrey Hausdorff
Center for the Study of Movement, Cognition and Mobility, Neurological Institute, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
Jiyang Jiang
Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Emily C Smith
Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Matthew Hollings
Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Tess C Hawkins
Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nicholas J Ashley
Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Natan Feter
Postgraduate Program of Physical Education, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
Guy C Wilson
Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Isabel Hui En Shih
Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Yareni Guerrero
Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Tom Bailey
Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
Introduction Epidemiological evidence suggests that both poor cardiovascular fitness and low muscle mass or strength markedly increase the rate of cognitive decline and incident dementia in older adults. Results from exercise trials for the improvement of cognition in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have reported mixed results. This is possibly due to insufficient exercise intensities. The aim of the Balance, Resistance, And INterval (BRAIN) Training Trial is to determine the effects of two forms of exercise, high-intensity aerobic interval training (HIIT) and high-intensity power training (POWER) each compared with a sham exercise control group on cognition in older adults with MCI.Methods and analysis One hundred and sixty community-dwelling older (≥ 60 years) people with MCI have been randomised into the trial. Interventions are delivered supervised 2–3 days per week for 12 months. The primary outcome measured at baseline, 6 and 12 months is performance on a cognitive composite score measuring the executive domain calculated from a combination of computerised (NeuroTrax) and paper-and-pencil tests. Analyses will be performed via repeated measures linear mixed models and generalised linear mixed models of baseline, 6-month and 12-month time points, adjusted for baseline values and covariates selected a priori. Mixed models will be constructed to determine the interaction of GROUP × TIME.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Sydney (HREC Ref.2017/368), University of Queensland (HREC Ref. 2017/HE000853), University of British Columbia (H16-03309), and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (V16-03309) Human Research Ethics. Dissemination will be via publications, conference presentations, newsletter articles, social media, talks to clinicians and consumers and meetings with health departments/managers.It is expected that communication of results will allow for the development of more effective evidence-based exercise prescription guidelines in this population while investigating the benefits of HIIT and POWER on subclinical markers of disease.Trial registration number ACTRN12617001440314 Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry.
