Exercise boosts brain and body in frail seniors, study hopes
NCT ID NCT07513701
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether 3 months of aerobic and resistance training can improve physical reserve—the body's ability to handle stress—in 224 frail older adults living in the community. Researchers want to see if this exercise program helps preserve both physical mobility and cognitive function, even in people with signs of brain aging. Participants will do supervised exercises like jogging on the spot, agility drills, and weight training, and be compared to those receiving usual care.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Aerobic and resistance training
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this exercise program could help frail older adults maintain their physical and mental abilities longer, even with underlying brain changes.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial (224 participants) testing a behavioral intervention, not a drug. Results may not apply to all older adults, and benefits may be modest or temporary.
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 224 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jan 2026
- Expected to finish
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Mar 2029
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 to 90 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. are community-dwelling (i.e., not residing in a nursing home or extended care unit) ; 2. scored \< 9/12 on the SPPB; 3. scored \>18/30 on the MoCA; 4. are able to walk independently; use of walking aid is acceptable; 5. are able to safely engage in exercise as indicated by the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire Plus33 and confirmed by their physician; 6. have internet at home; and 7. are able to provide written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: 1. diagnosed with dementia or stroke; 2. self-report engaging in strength and balance training exercises \> two-times-per-week in the 3 months prior to screening; 3. unable to understand, speak, and read Cantonese/Chinese/English proficiently; and 4. contraindications for MRI such as MRI-incompatible implants.
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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, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences
RECRUITINGHong Kong, Hong Kong, 0000000, Hong Kong
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