Brain training on a treadmill: could wobbly walks sharpen Seniors' minds?
NCT ID NCT06573658
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether a special balance training, where older adults walk on a treadmill that suddenly tilts or shifts, can improve brain structure and stability. 88 community-dwelling adults aged 60+ will be randomly assigned to either this training or regular walking. Researchers will use MRI scans to look for changes in brain areas linked to balance, and measure how well participants recover from a stumble.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Perturbation-based balance training (PBT)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple exercise method to improve balance and brain health in older adults, potentially reducing fall risk.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early pilot study (88 people) looking at short-term brain changes, not falls themselves. Results may not lead to a proven fall-prevention program.
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
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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 88 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Apr 2024
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2026
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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60 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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: * Aged ≥ 60 years old * Community-dwelling * Right-handed * Able to communicate effectively in Cantonese or Mandarin * Able to walk independently on level ground for ≥ 30 minutes * Abbreviated Mental Test (Hong Kong version) score ≥ 6 Exclusion Criteria: * Metal implants (e.g. pacemaker, artificial cochlea) * Uncorrected vision or hearing impairment * Osteoporosis * Hip or knee replacement within the last year * Musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, mental, or neurological disorders (such as Parkinson's disease) which can affect MRI examination, balance control, or exercise participation.
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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 places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
RECRUITINGHong Kong, Hong Kong
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