Cognitive PerformanceNCT04676542
The Effects of Externally Paced Exercise on Cognitive Performance and Stress in College Aged Students
A study testing Exercise in people with Cognitive Performance, run by New York Institute of Technology at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of the study is to investigate the acute effect of martial art exercise and aerobic exercise on cognitive performance in college age students. Cognitive performance is a term that encompasses our cognitive processes such as working memory, and executive functioning (decision making); research has found… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Cognitive Performance
- What is being tested?
- Exercise
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 16 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Mar 2021to 1 May 2021
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 30 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Age range: 18-30 years
- Good overall health
- Exercise at least two days/week
Who cannot join
- Any cardiopulmonary conditions including asthma within the last 6 months.
- Any major musculoskeletal injuries (i.e. torn ligaments, bone fractures, etc.) over the last 6 months.
- Any other health issues that would interfere with a subject's safety during exercise.
- Any auditory/vestibular impairments.
- Uncorrected visual problems and color blindness.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
New York Institute of Technology
Old Westbury, New York, 11568
About this study
The purpose of the study is to investigate the acute effect of martial art exercise and aerobic exercise on cognitive performance in college age students. Cognitive performance is a term that encompasses our cognitive processes such as working memory, and executive functioning (decision making); research has found that externally paced (EP) exercise improves cognitive performance and executive functioning (EF). EP activities require decision making skills and higher-level executive functioning. Previous research studies have shown that acute as well as long term aerobic exercise improves cognitive performance Internally paced (IP) exercise requires less attention on task, which may result in less significant improvements in cognitive performance and executive function. However, there is limited research examining the effect that martial art exercise has on these higher-level cognitive functions.Theoretically, the martial art class will improve provide greater stimulation to the higher levels of the brain, causing a greater improvement in the executive function scores when compared to walking. This leads to the question, are externally paced aerobic activities more effective than an acute bout of aerobic exercise in improving executive function in college-aged adults? The investigators hypothesized that martial art training will have a greater impact on executive functioning than aerobic exercise in college-aged adults.
Read the detailed description
The purpose of the study is to investigate the acute effect of a beginner martial art class and aerobic exercise on cognitive performance in college age students. Cognitive performance is a term that encompasses our cognitive processes such as working memory, and executive functioning (response inhibition); research has found that externally paced (EP) exercise improves cognitive performance and executive functioning (EF). EP activities require decision making skills and higher-level executive functioning. Internally paced (IP) exercise requires less attention on task, which may result in less significant improvements in cognitive performance and executive function. Previous research studies have shown that acute as well as long term aerobic exercise improves cognitive performance. However, there is limited research examining the effect that a martial art class, an external paced exercise, has on these higher-level cognitive functions in college -aged subjects. A study performed by Douris et. al provides a more accurate measure of EP exercise and cognition. Martial arts were used as the complex EP activity. EF in the martial arts group showed greater improvement than the aerobic exercise condition. This was attributed to the complexities of the movement patterns and the associated cortical demands. This study aligns with our current belief that EP activities will have a greater effect than IP activities. The research on the comparison of martial art exercise (externally paced exercise) versus aerobic exercise (internally paced exercise) on executive function is limited to the previous study by the principal investigator utilizing experienced middle-aged martial artists and we presently intend to investigate college aged adults as compared to the previously investigated middle -aged..The current study looks to determine how complex exercise would impact executive functioning. Martial art training requires reactionary movements, quick thinking and decision making, all of which are components of EF. Walking is a relatively simple task that does not require much conscious or cortical control. The investigators plan to have the participants participate in a beginning martial art class and a one hour walk.. Theoretically, the martial art class will improve provide greater stimulation to the higher levels of the brain, causing a greater improvement in the executive function scores when compared to walking. This leads to the question, are externally paced aerobic activities more effective than an acute bout of aerobic exercise in improving executive function in college-aged adults? The proposed research design will be utilizing a randomized cross over repeated measures design. The independent variables are the two one-hour conditions and the dependent variables are the change in Stroop test scores, and stress Visual Analog Scale (VAS) results. In order to test the hypothesis, the investigators will perform a dependent t-test for each dependent variable. An alpha level of p<0.05 will be used for all statistical comparisons. The hypothesis is that an externally paced activity such as martial art exercise will have a greater effect on enhancing executive functioning and will improve stress levels in college aged young adults when compared to an internally paced activity such as walking.
- Conditions
- Cognitive Performance
- Being tested
- Exercise
- Keywords
- Martial Arts, Walking, Cognitive Performance,Stress
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
ExerciseOther
One hour of a beginning martial art class ,and a one hour walk at 4.0 mph pace.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| One group taking part in 2 separate conditions | Experimental | The proposed research design will be utilizing a randomized cross over repeated measures design. Subjects will take part in two separate conditions: 1) One hour of a beginning martial art class (EP), and 2) One hour walk at 4.0 mph pace (IP). Receives: Other: Exercise |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Executive function
For the Stroop tests: the subject will be asked to read words of colors, state the colors of various letters to test processing speed. Subjects will also state the color of the font of a word when the actual word describes a conflicting color. This tests response inhibition, which is a subdivision of executive function. Tower of London which entails a subject is shown the correct organization and is given a specific number of moves to accomplish the task which tests for the problem solving domain of executive function
Measured: 10 minutes
Secondary outcomes (1)
Stress
Visual Analog Scale 0-10
Measured: 2 minutes
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Dec 2020
- Study start1 Mar 2021
- Primary completion1 May 2021
- Study completion1 May 2021
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (6)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Cognitive PerformanceStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Model description
- The proposed research design will be utilizing a randomized cross over repeated measures design. Subjects will take part in two separate conditions: 1) One hour of a beginning martial art class (EP), and 2) One hour walk at 4.0 mph pace (IP).The independent variables are the two conditions and the dependent variables are processing speed, attention, executive function (Stroop Color and Word tests), and a stress visual analog scale
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 16 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- New York Institute of Technology
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Peter Douris, Principal investigator, New York Institute of Technology
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04676542
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- BHS-1535
- Status last verified
- Mar 2021
- First submitted
- 16 Dec 2020
- Last updated
- 27 May 2021
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: All IPD that underlie results in a publication
Publications
Douris P, Douris C, Balder N, LaCasse M, Rand A, Tarapore F, Zhuchkan A, Handrakis J. Martial Art Training and Cognitive Performance in Middle-Aged Adults. J Hum Kinet. 2015 Oct 14;47:277-83. doi: 10.1515/hukin-2015-0083. eCollection 2015 Sep 29.
PubMed 26672872Chang YK, Labban JD, Gapin JI, Etnier JL. The effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance: a meta-analysis. Brain Res. 2012 May 9;1453:87-101. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2012.02.068. Epub 2012 Mar 4.
PubMed 22480735Brisswalter J, Collardeau M, Rene A. Effects of acute physical exercise characteristics on cognitive performance. Sports Med. 2002;32(9):555-66. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200232090-00002.
PubMed 12096929Lee E, Kim Y. Effect of university students' sedentary behavior on stress, anxiety, and depression. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2019 Apr;55(2):164-169. doi: 10.1111/ppc.12296. Epub 2018 May 24.
PubMed 29797324Lesage FX, Berjot S, Deschamps F. Clinical stress assessment using a visual analogue scale. Occup Med (Lond). 2012 Dec;62(8):600-5. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqs140. Epub 2012 Sep 10.
PubMed 22965867Barella LA, Etnier JL, Chang YK. The immediate and delayed effects of an acute bout of exercise on cognitive performance of healthy older adults. J Aging Phys Act. 2010 Jan;18(1):87-98. doi: 10.1123/japa.18.1.87.
PubMed 20181996
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 May 2021. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effects of Externally Paced Exercise on Cognitive Performance and Stress in College Aged Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04676542
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- BHS-1535
- Conditions
- Cognitive Performance
- Keywords
- Martial Arts, Walking, Cognitive Performance,Stress
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 16 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- New York Institute of TechnologyUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Mar 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 May 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 May 2021 (actual)
- First posted
- 21 Dec 2020 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of the study is to investigate the acute effect of martial art exercise and aerobic exercise on cognitive performance in college age students. Cognitive performance is a term that encompasses our cognitive processes such as working memory, and executive functioning (decision making); research has found that externally paced (EP) exercise improves cognitive performance and executive functioning (EF). EP activities require decision making skills and higher-level executive functioning. Previous research studies have shown that acute as well as long term aerobic exercise improves cognitive performance Internally paced (IP) exercise requires less attention on task, which may result in less significant improvements in cognitive performance and executive function. However, there is limited research examining the effect that martial art exercise has on these higher-level cognitive functions.Theoretically, the martial art class will improve provide greater stimulation to the higher levels of the brain, causing a greater improvement in the executive function scores when compared to walking. This leads to the question, are externally paced aerobic activities more effective than an acute bout of aerobic exercise in improving executive function in college-aged adults? The investigators hypothesized that martial art training will have a greater impact on executive functioning than aerobic exercise in college-aged adults.
Detailed description
The purpose of the study is to investigate the acute effect of a beginner martial art class and aerobic exercise on cognitive performance in college age students. Cognitive performance is a term that encompasses our cognitive processes such as working memory, and executive functioning (response inhibition); research has found that externally paced (EP) exercise improves cognitive performance and executive functioning (EF). EP activities require decision making skills and higher-level executive functioning. Internally paced (IP) exercise requires less attention on task, which may result in less significant improvements in cognitive performance and executive function. Previous research studies have shown that acute as well as long term aerobic exercise improves cognitive performance. However, there is limited research examining the effect that a martial art class, an external paced exercise, has on these higher-level cognitive functions in college -aged subjects. A study performed by Douris et. al provides a more accurate measure of EP exercise and cognition. Martial arts were used as the complex EP activity. EF in the martial arts group showed greater improvement than the aerobic exercise condition. This was attributed to the complexities of the movement patterns and the associated cortical demands. This study aligns with our current belief that EP activities will have a greater effect than IP activities. The research on the comparison of martial art exercise (externally paced exercise) versus aerobic exercise (internally paced exercise) on executive function is limited to the previous study by the principal investigator utilizing experienced middle-aged martial artists and we presently intend to investigate college aged adults as compared to the previously investigated middle -aged..The current study looks to determine how complex exercise would impact executive functioning. Martial art training requires reactionary movements, quick thinking and decision making, all of which are components of EF. Walking is a relatively simple task that does not require much conscious or cortical control. The investigators plan to have the participants participate in a beginning martial art class and a one hour walk.. Theoretically, the martial art class will improve provide greater stimulation to the higher levels of the brain, causing a greater improvement in the executive function scores when compared to walking. This leads to the question, are externally paced aerobic activities more effective than an acute bout of aerobic exercise in improving executive function in college-aged adults? The proposed research design will be utilizing a randomized cross over repeated measures design. The independent variables are the two one-hour conditions and the dependent variables are the change in Stroop test scores, and stress Visual Analog Scale (VAS) results. In order to test the hypothesis, the investigators will perform a dependent t-test for each dependent variable. An alpha level of p<0.05 will be used for all statistical comparisons. The hypothesis is that an externally paced activity such as martial art exercise will have a greater effect on enhancing executive functioning and will improve stress levels in college aged young adults when compared to an internally paced activity such as walking.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
- Model description
- The proposed research design will be utilizing a randomized cross over repeated measures design. Subjects will take part in two separate conditions: 1) One hour of a beginning martial art class (EP), and 2) One hour walk at 4.0 mph pace (IP).The independent variables are the two conditions and the dependent variables are processing speed, attention, executive function (Stroop Color and Word tests), and a stress visual analog scale
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| One group taking part in 2 separate conditions | Experimental | Other: ExerciseThe proposed research design will be utilizing a randomized cross over repeated measures design. Subjects will take part in two separate conditions: 1) One hour of a beginning martial art class (EP), and 2) One hour walk at 4.0 mph pace (IP). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Age range: 18-30 years
- Good overall health
- Exercise at least two days/week
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Any cardiopulmonary conditions including asthma within the last 6 months.
- Any major musculoskeletal injuries (i.e. torn ligaments, bone fractures, etc.) over the last 6 months.
- Any other health issues that would interfere with a subject's safety during exercise.
- Any auditory/vestibular impairments.
- Uncorrected visual problems and color blindness.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| ExerciseOne hour of a beginning martial art class ,and a one hour walk at 4.0 mph pace. | Other | One group taking part in 2 separate conditions |
Primary outcome
Executive function
Time frame: 10 minutes
For the Stroop tests: the subject will be asked to read words of colors, state the colors of various letters to test processing speed. Subjects will also state the color of the font of a word when the actual word describes a conflicting color. This tests response inhibition, which is a subdivision of executive function. Tower of London which entails a subject is shown the correct organization and is given a specific number of moves to accomplish the task which tests for the problem solving domain of executive function
1 secondary outcome
Stress
Time frame: 2 minutes
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 May 2021.
- Background: PubMed 26672872Douris P, Douris C, Balder N, LaCasse M, Rand A, Tarapore F, Zhuchkan A, Handrakis J. Martial Art Training and Cognitive Performance in Middle-Aged Adults. J Hum Kinet. 2015 Oct 14;47:277-83. doi: 10.1515/hukin-2015-0083. eCollection 2015 Sep 29.
- Background: PubMed 22480735Chang YK, Labban JD, Gapin JI, Etnier JL. The effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance: a meta-analysis. Brain Res. 2012 May 9;1453:87-101. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2012.02.068. Epub 2012 Mar 4.
- Background: PubMed 12096929Brisswalter J, Collardeau M, Rene A. Effects of acute physical exercise characteristics on cognitive performance. Sports Med. 2002;32(9):555-66. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200232090-00002.
- Background: PubMed 29797324Lee E, Kim Y. Effect of university students' sedentary behavior on stress, anxiety, and depression. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2019 Apr;55(2):164-169. doi: 10.1111/ppc.12296. Epub 2018 May 24.
- Background: PubMed 22965867Lesage FX, Berjot S, Deschamps F. Clinical stress assessment using a visual analogue scale. Occup Med (Lond). 2012 Dec;62(8):600-5. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqs140. Epub 2012 Sep 10.
- Background: PubMed 20181996Barella LA, Etnier JL, Chang YK. The immediate and delayed effects of an acute bout of exercise on cognitive performance of healthy older adults. J Aging Phys Act. 2010 Jan;18(1):87-98. doi: 10.1123/japa.18.1.87.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. All IPD that underlie results in a publication
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Peter Douris principal investigator
New York Institute of Technology
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Exercise in people with Cognitive Performance, run by New York Institute of Technology at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 May 2021. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Executive function (time frame: 10 minutes). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04676542, which also lists 6 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 May 2021.