Study: exercise and cognition in older adults

It is well known that exercise has a positive influence on cognitive function during aging. However, the optimal dose, intensity and duration of exercise for improving cognitive function is not known, nor are the mechanisms by which exercise may prevent or even reverse cognitive decline.

Join our study to help identify the ‘sweet spot’ for exercise and memory. How much is enough? How much is too little?

Are you aged 65 – 85 and do you want to:

• become more physically active?
• participate in regular supervised exercise?
• learn more about you brain health, learning and memory?
• be part of supportive community?

Healthy men and women aged 65–85 are invited to participate in a six-month supervised exercise program. To be eligible participants must have no history of stroke or brain trauma, no diagnosed mental illness or cognitive function impairment, be free of significant cardiovascular disease, have a healthy BMI (< 30 kg/m²) and be able and willing to commit to the duration of the exercise program. Participation will include fitness tests, cognitive function testing, MRI scans of the brain, and small blood samples. 

Participants will be divided into three groups to complete either low-intensity (very easy), moderate-intensity (easy) exercise or aerobic-interval (hard) exercise three times per week for six months. All exercise will be supervised and monitored and we will measure cognitive function, fitness, blood hormones, genetic factors and brain volume before beginning exercise, at regular interval during the exercise program and six months following the conclusion of the exercise program. 

Contact

Contact Dr Mia Schaumberg and the Healthy Brain-Ageing Team (healthybrains@uq.edu.au) for further details.

Expression of Interest form

The UQ Centre for Exercise and Healthy Brain Ageing 
School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences (Building 26B)
The University of Queensland | St Lucia, QLD, 4072 | Australia 
+61 7  3443 3209
healthybrains@uq.edu.au