Can tiny bursts of baduanjin exercise sharpen a fading memory?
NCT ID NCT07822867
First seen Sep 16, 2026 · Last updated Sep 17, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers are testing whether short bouts of Baduanjin, a traditional Chinese mind-body exercise, can improve thinking and memory in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. The trial enrolls 240 people aged 51 to 80 across multiple centers in China. Half receive routine health education alone, while the other half add brief Baduanjin sessions spread throughout the day for 24 weeks. Researchers measure cognitive function with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and track physical function, mood, sleep, and safety over 48 weeks.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Baduanjin-based exercise snacking, short bouts of a traditional Chinese mind-body exercise spread through the day
- What this could lead to
- If it works, short daily bursts of Baduanjin could offer an easy, low-cost way for older adults with mild cognitive impairment to support their thinking and memory.
- What could go wrong
- Exercise trials often show only small benefits, and participants who know they are exercising may report feeling better for reasons unrelated to the training. Results may not apply to people with different types or severities of memory loss.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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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
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About 240 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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51 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: 1. Aged 51 to 80 years, inclusive. 2. Meet the NIA-AA core clinical criteria for probable amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), including all of the following: 1. A self-reported and/or informant-reported history of progressive memory decline lasting for more than 6 months, confirmed by a study neurologist; 2. Objective impairment in one or two cognitive domains on standardized neuropsychological testing, with memory impairment required; 3. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score of 18-26; 4. Cognitive impairment does not result in significant functional dependence, with instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) remaining normal or only mildly impaired; 5. Does not meet diagnostic criteria for any type of dementia. 3. Able to independently use a smartphone and complete online check-ins, questionnaires, and other digital assessment tasks. 4. Able to walk independently without assistance. 5. No absolute contraindications to exercise, as determined by the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire or by a study physician when exercise-related risks are considered manageable. 6. Willing and able to provide written informed consent. 7. A primary caregiver, if applicable, is informed of and supportive of study participation. 8. Willing and able to comply with the 24-month follow-up schedule and complete all study assessments and intervention tasks. 9. Participants taking cognition-enhancing or other cognition-active medications may be included, provided that the medication dose has remained stable for at least 1 month before screening. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Cognitive impairment attributable to other causes, including: 1. Meeting clinical diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease or another type of dementia; 2. Cognitive impairment primarily attributable to another clearly identified condition, including neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, or multiple sclerosis), severe psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive episode with psychotic features), or systemic diseases (e.g., uncontrolled thyroid dysfunction or vitamin B12 deficiency). 2. Severe or unstable medical conditions, including any of the following: 1. Acute cardiovascular or cerebrovascular event within the previous 6 months, including myocardial infarction, unstable angina, stroke, or transient ischemic attack; 2. New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV heart failure; 3. Poorly controlled hypertension, defined as resting blood pressure ≥180/110 mmHg; 4. Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, defined as HbA1c \>9.0%; 5. Severe musculoskeletal disease resulting in inability to walk continuously for more than 100 meters; 6. Severe respiratory disease; 7. Malignancy with an estimated life expectancy of less than 2 years. 3. Severe visual or hearing impairment that prevents the participant from adequately seeing assessment materials or hearing instructions despite the use of conventional corrective devices, such as glasses or hearing aids. 4. High risk of falls, defined by any of the following: 1. Two or more unprovoked falls during the previous year; 2. A score of 0 on the balance component of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), indicating inability to stand with the feet together; 3. Requirement for routine use of a walking aid or wheelchair. 5. Current participation in another clinical trial that may affect cognitive function or physical activity. 6. Planning to relocate outside the study area for more than 3 months during the next 24 months. 7. Any other condition that, in the investigator's judgment, may compromise participant safety, data integrity, or adherence to the study protocol.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
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