Aquatic Exercises Combined With Cognitive Tasks for Older Adults (WaterCog)

Federal University of Pelotas

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Aging

Treatments: Other: Cognitive tasks; Other: Aquatic aerobic exercise program

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07156708

90526525.0.0000.5313

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aquatic environment has characteristics that favor the adherence of older adults to exercise programs, and studies have shown that programs in this setting are effective in enhancing various aspects of physical fitness as well as cognitive function in this population. Research has explored whether incorporating cognitive tasks into an aquatic exercise program could offer additional benefits, but it remains uncertain whether this approach leads to greater improvements in cognitive function compared to aquatic exercises alone. The present protocol reports the WaterCog Study, which aims to evaluate the effects of an aquatic aerobic exercise program combined with cognitive tasks, compared to a conventional aquatic aerobic exercise program and a control group, on cognitive function and other health-related outcomes in older adults. This trial is a randomized, single-blinded, three-arm, parallel, superiority trial. A total of 98 older adults are randomized into one of three groups: 1) an aquatic aerobic exercise program combined with cognitive tasks, 2) a conventional aquatic aerobic exercise program, and 3) a control group. Participants in both exercise groups complete a 12-week exercise program with two weekly sessions on non-consecutive days. The primary outcome is cognitive function, while secondary outcomes include physical function, cardiovascular, and psychosocial parameters. Outcomes are measured at baseline, post-intervention, and at the 12-week follow-up after the end of the intervention period. The analysis plan will employ an intention-to-treat approach and per-protocol criteria. The conceptual hypothesis of the study is that both training programs will significantly improve the investigated outcomes compared to the control group. Additionally, it is expected that aquatic exercises with cognitive tasks will promote additional benefits in cognitive function, with similar gains in physical function, cardiovascular, and psychosocial parameters compared to conventional aquatic aerobic exercises in post-intervention and follow-up measures.

Enrollment: 98 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 60 to 75 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Older women aged 60 and 75 years;
• Being physically inactive, meaning not participating in physical exercise for at least six months (regular exercise is defined as engaging in any physical training for a minimum of 20 minutes on two or more days a week).

Exclusion criteria

• History of cardiovascular disease (except controlled hypertension);
• Osteoarticular limitations for the practice of exercises;
• Being illiterate due to the self-completion questionnaires and the characteristics of the intervention;
• Diagnosis of dementia, schizophrenia, or major depressive disorder.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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98 participants in 3 patient groups

Aquatic aerobic exercise program combined with cognitive tasks

Experimental group

Treatment:

Other: Aquatic aerobic exercise program

Other: Cognitive tasks

Conventional aquatic aerobic exercise program

Experimental group

Treatment:

Other: Aquatic aerobic exercise program

Control group

No Intervention group