Aerobic Exercise and Cognitive Training Effects on Postconcussive Symptomology

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Status

Completed

Conditions

Post-Concussive Syndrome, Chronic

Head Injury

Closed Head Injury

Post-Concussion Syndrome

Acquired Brain Injury

Post-Traumatic Headache

MTBI - Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Treatments

Behavioral: Exercise only

Behavioral: Exercise+CT

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT03674398

18814

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to compare a 4-week, moderately intensive, lab and home-based aerobic exercise program versus exercise plus cognitive training. Participants will include individuals who experience lingering symptoms of a head injury or concussion.

Full description

Eligible participants will engage in 30 minute bouts of aerobic exercise three times per week followed by a 20-minute post-exercise activity. Randomization will place participants into one of three groups: (1) aerobic exercise + cognitive training, (2) aerobic exercise + videos, or (3) waitlist control. Post-exercise activities will be delivered via participants' smartphone device by downloading the appropriate cognitive training platform or online video link.

Baseline and post-intervention assessments will consist of symptom reporting, cognitive measures, and psychosocial questionnaires. Physiological measures including heart rate and blood pressure will be assessed at baseline and at follow-up as well as during each in-lab exercise session. The wait-list control group is asked to complete all baseline and follow-up assessments and resume normal activity during the four weeks. The first week of exercise will take place in a lab-based environment, while weeks 2-4 will take place outside of the lab (participants must have access to exercise equipment at home or local fitness facility).

Enrollment

34 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Must have history of at least one concussion (onset was at age 18 or later)
Ability to exercise at moderate to vigorous activity levels (defined as 50%-75% of the adjusted age-predicted maximum heart rate)
Experiencing persistent symptoms (persistent defined as, most days per week for at least 2 weeks since sustaining injury) resulting from concussion or head injury
Access to a smartphone and willingness to allow research staff to install application (and space to allow for installation)
Access to a treadmill to complete exercise outside of lab environment
Willingness to provide proof of concussion or head injury medical diagnosis
Willingness to provide contact information of individual to confirm persistent symptoms if medical diagnosis is unavailable
Willingness to be randomized into one of three groups

Exclusion criteria

No history of concussion, head injury, or mild traumatic brain injury
Experiencing less than 3 persistent symptoms (persistent defined as, most days per week for at least 2 weeks since sustaining injury)
No access to a smartphone
No access to a treadmill
Too active (as defined by regular exercise most days per week for 30+ minutes over the past 3 months)
Unable or unwilling to comply to lab and home-based exercise prescription
Unable or unwilling to commit to full length of program
Incapable of performing moderately intensive aerobic exercise OR sustaining attention to screen for 20 minutes
Unwilling to be randomized to one of 3 groups
Unable to commute to and from UIUC campus
Already involved in regular weekly physical activity or cognitive training program
Had previously diagnosed mental health condition (e.g., Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder)
Current involvement in litigation specific to injury