Effects of a Complex, Partnered Martial Arts-based Intervention on Cognitive Function (HUBOD)

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Status: Terminated

Conditions: Inhibition (Psychology); Cognitive Change; Processing, Visual Spatial; Working Memory

Treatments: Behavioral: Control Condition; Behavioral: Active Comparator; Behavioral: HUBOD

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04760054

21174

Details and patient eligibility

About

The investigators' study is designed to test whether brief exposure to a martial arts-based intervention (a coordinative, partnered training exercise known as "Hubod"), can improve cognitive function to a greater degree than aerobic exercise of a similar intensity.

Full description

This three-arm randomized controlled trial will compare the feasibility, and possibly the effects, of a martial arts intervention vs. aerobic exercise vs. an attentional (non-exercise) control condition. The martial arts intervention will consist of a partnered, coordinated sensitivity exercise drawn from south-east Asian martial arts, known as Hubod (also spelt hubud and hubad). Participants will be trained in the fundamental movements of Hubod. Participants will also have the history, cultural significance, risks and purpose of Hubod explained to them throughout the study.

The aerobic exercise comparator group will use a stationary bicycle to match the duration and exercise intensity of the martial arts intervention group, under the supervision of trained research assistants. Participants will also receive information on aerobic exercise and the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans 2020.

Participants in the Videos Control group will watch educational videos on martial arts, physical fitness and exercise for the same duration as the intervention and exercise comparison groups. All participants, regardless of group, will be assessed for martial arts and exercise experience once at baseline.

All participants will be tested for cognitive performance change. Baseline and follow-up computerized cognitive testing will take place at a specified testing facility and psychosocial questionnaires will be delivered remotely via a Qualtrics-powered survey. After baseline testing, participants will attend 5 sessions, approximately 30 minutes each. Follow-up testing will be administered more than 48 hours post-intervention to minimize established acute adaptive responses to exercise.

The investigators hypothesize the martial arts training intervention group will exhibit a greater increase in performance of cognitive tasks when compared less complex movement patterns involved in the aerobic exercise group or videos control group.

Enrollment: 32 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 45 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Men and Women between the ages of 18-45 years who are low active

Exclusion criteria

• Anyone who is physically active (≥30 minutes, 3 or more times/week, for the last 3 months) and/or a regular practitioner of martial arts and/or highly complex coordination drills such as dance performance or contact improvisation (≥30 minutes, 3 or more times/week, for the last 3 months).
• Anyone with serious chronic medical conditions that would preclude them from participating without a physician present, or anyone with a risk of seizure, or anyone having psychiatric and/or neurological disorders.
• Pregnant women.
• Anyone incapable of performing the following movements at a moderate intensity- sitting, standing, kicking, pulling, pushing, bending one's elbows or bending one's knees.
• Anyone who scores 1 or more on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire
• Anyone refusing or unwilling to be randomized into either of the conditions.
• Anyone who cannot commit to both 45 minute testing sessions or the five 30-minute training sessions.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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32 participants in 3 patient groups, including a placebo group

HUBOD martial arts practice

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will be trained in the Hubod exercise over 5 separate training sessions. Sessions will last approximately 30 minutes, involving a warm up, review of material from the previous session and the learning of the next movement in the HUBOD sequence. Heartrate will be monitored periodically to make sure the intensity of exercise is consistent with mild to moderate cardiovascular exercise as in the active comparator.

Treatment:

Behavioral: HUBOD

Active Comparator - Stationary Bicycle

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will be given 5 separate sessions, each approximating 30 minutes in duration, of mild to moderate intensity cardiovascular training on a stationary bicycle. Heartrate will be monitored periodically to make sure the intensity of exercise is consistent with mild to moderate exercise as in the Experimental group.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Active Comparator

Attentional Control Group

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Participants will be given 5 separate sessions, each approximating 30 minutes in duration, of watching videos on martial arts training methods and techniques. These sessions will be completely sedentary.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Control Condition