MRI reveals how brain blood vessels behave during exercise in men and women

NCT ID NCT06446622

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing This study
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 07, 2026 · Last updated Jul 08, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study uses MRI to measure brain blood flow and artery function in healthy men and women aged 20-40 while they exercise on a stepper device. Participants will exercise at light and moderate-to-vigorous intensities inside the MRI scanner. The goal is to understand how biological sex and age influence the brain's vascular response to exercise.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to
If successful, this study could help explain how sex and age affect brain blood flow during exercise, potentially guiding future research on brain health and exercise recommendations.
What could go wrong
This is a small pilot study with only 45 participants, so findings may not apply to everyone. It is designed to gather preliminary data, not to prove a treatment or intervention.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 45 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Apr 2023

Expected to finish

May 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

20 to 40 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy men or women between the ages of 20-40 years old * Demonstrate an exercise history of engaging in aerobic physical activity at least 3 times per week for a minimum of 30 continuous minutes * Have experience using cardiovascular exercise equipment (e.g., treadmill, elliptical, upright or recumbent bicycle, stair-stepper) Exclusion Criteria: * Outside of specified age range * Do not have experience using cardiovascular exercise equipment * Do not meet the physical activity criteria * Present with a history or evidence of hepatic, renal, hematological disease, cardiovascular disease including uncontrolled hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, stroke/neurovascular disease, and diabetes * have a body mass index ≥35 kg/m2 * are ≥ 71 inches (180 cm) in height * have any contraindications to MRI * currently use or have a history of use of tobacco or illegal substances * have current and/or a history of depression or other mood related disorders (those with mild depression and/or anxiety that is controlled with medication and/or therapy will not be excluded) * vulnerable populations (e.g., pregnant women, prisoners, individuals lacking capacity to consent) * if the desired moderate/vigorous exercise intensity corresponds to \> 350 watts on the stepper device

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Motor Activity

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison

    Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, United States

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