Comparison of High-Intensity Interval Training and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training in Mild Cognitive Impairment

NCT ID: NCT07248709

Last Updated: 2025-12-30

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 68 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-11-05
• Study Completion Date: 2026-04-30

Brief Summary

This study aims to determine the effects of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT) on cognitive and physical fitness in community-dwelling adults diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).

A double-blinded randomized clinical trial will be conducted for ten months at Ruhama Welfare Foundation Society Lahore and Kainat Patient Care and Old Age Home, Lahore. The sample size is calculated through G-power and 68 participants will be recruited through the non-probability convenience sampling technique. Those who meet the inclusion criteria will be randomized into two groups through the online randomizer tool. Both experimental groups will undergo an 8-week intervention, consisting of three sessions per week with alternate-day training of 38 minutes. The HIIT group will perform exercise with each session consisting of four 4-minute intervals at 85-95% of their maximum heart rate, with 3-minute active recovery periods, while the MICT group will engage in continuous exercise for 28 minutes at 70-75% of their maximum heart rate. Assessment will be done at baseline, after the 4th week, 8th week, and follow-up at 12th week.

Detailed Description

Mild cognitive impairment is a syndrome defined as cognitive decline greater than expected for an individual's age and education level but that does not interfere notably with activities of daily life. Prevalence in population-based epidemiological studies ranges from 3% to 19% in adults older than 65 years. Some people with mild cognitive impairment seem to remain stable or return to normal over time, but more than half progress to dementia within 5 years. Mild cognitive impairment can thus be regarded as a risk state for dementia. The amnestic subtype of mild cognitive impairment has a high risk of progression to Alzheimer's disease, and it could constitute a prodromal stage of this disorder. One of the main causes of disability and dependency in older adults globally, dementia ranks as the seventh most common cause of all disorders. Globally, there were 55 million dementia sufferers in 2021; by 2030, that figure is expected to rise to 78 million, and by 2050, it will reach 139 million. Thankfully, there is a chance that postponing dementia onset by five years could cut its prevalence in half globally. Compared to just 3% of the age-matched group, 46% of people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an intermediate stage between normal cognition and dementia, will develop dementia within three years. As a result, MCI is a crucial phase in stopping dementia from getting worse. The multi-cognitive function of subjects with MCI declines.

HIIT can enhance cognitive performance through increased blood flow to the brain, promoting neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity, which are crucial for cognitive tasks. MICT also supports cognitive function. HIIT often produces superior results in a shorter time frame. HIIT involves short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by rest or low-intensity periods, leading to significant cardiovascular adaptations such as increased VO2 max and improved heart efficiency. MICT, while beneficial, requires longer durations to achieve comparable gains in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Engaging in regular physical exercise has been shown to delay age-related physiological and cognitive decline, reduce the risk of common diseases, and improve the subjective quality of life. Meanwhile, a large proportion of older adults are insufficiently physically active, potentially increasing societal health-related challenges connected to a growing older population. It is, therefore, important to provide both effective and attractive exercise methods adapted for this group. One of the proposed key factors in maximizing exercise effects is to exercise beyond moderate intensities, as in high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Although aerobic moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) is performed at intensities below the anaerobic threshold, HIIT is broadly defined as short, repeated work intervals at an external intensity close to (80%-100%), or above (>100%) the intensity that elicits maximum oxygen uptake (Vo2 max), with passive or low intensity recovery between intervals.

While exercise is a promising intervention for cognitive health, the comparative efficacy of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT) in older adults with MCI remains underexplored. This research seeks to provide useful insights examining the effects of HIIT and MICT on executive functions, cardiorespiratory fitness, and overall physical fitness. HIIT's potential time efficiency and physiological benefits may offer significant advantages over traditional exercise methods. The findings could inform clinical practice, shape public health guidelines, and lead to more effective exercise interventions, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for older adults at risk of cognitive decline.

Conditions

Mild Cognitive Impairment

Keywords

High-Intensity Interval Training; Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training; Mild Cognitive Impairment; Executive Function; Physical Fitness; Cardiorespiratory Fitness

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Group A

The High-Intensity Interval Training Group (HIIT)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Intervention Type: OTHER

The HIIT group will engage in 28 min of alternating high-intensity and low-intensity exercise, where the high-intensity phase will be at 85-90% of maximum heart rate for 4 min, followed by a 3-min recovery period at 50-60% of maximum heart rate, repeated four times on a treadmill or stationary bicycle. (RPE \~16 on Borg scale) Total duration will be 38 minutes including warm up and cool down period.

Group B

Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training

Intervention Type: OTHER

The MICT group's training will consist of continuous aerobic exercise for 28 min at 60-70% of maximum heart rate on a treadmill or stationary bicycle. (RPE \~13 on Borg scale) Total duration will be 38 minutes including warm up and cool down period.

Interventions

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

The HIIT group will engage in 28 min of alternating high-intensity and low-intensity exercise, where the high-intensity phase will be at 85-90% of maximum heart rate for 4 min, followed by a 3-min recovery period at 50-60% of maximum heart rate, repeated four times on a treadmill or stationary bicycle. (RPE \~16 on Borg scale) Total duration will be 38 minutes including warm up and cool down period.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training

The MICT group's training will consist of continuous aerobic exercise for 28 min at 60-70% of maximum heart rate on a treadmill or stationary bicycle. (RPE \~13 on Borg scale) Total duration will be 38 minutes including warm up and cool down period.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• older adults who had been diagnosed with MCI according to Peterson's criteria [Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score <26 for those with 12 years or more of education and <25 for those with less than 12 years of education; activity of daily living scale ≤23; no clinical diagnosis of dementia]
• older adults who are physically normal (the six-item Katz Activities of Daily Living Scale should all be evaluated as "independent")

Exclusion Criteria

• Participants who have medical problems or co-morbidities that interdict their participation in the study.
• Unable to walk without an assistive device
• Diagnosed with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease
• Having regular exercise habits (defined as exercise for ≥150 min per week).
• Participating in other ongoing intervention study

• Minimum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Riphah International University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Aruba Saeed, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Riphah International University

Locations

Khursheed Oldage Home and Nursing Care

Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan

Site Status: RECRUITING

Ruhama Welfare Foundation Society

Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Pakistan

Central Contacts

Sadia Khalid, MSPT-NM

Role: CONTACT

Phone: +923336482896

Email: sadiakhalid27aug@gmail.com

Facility Contacts

Sadia Khalid, MSPT-NM

Role: primary

Sadia Khalid, MSPT-NM

Role: primary

References

Shao Z, Huang J, Feng H, Hu M. Optimizing the physical activity intervention for older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a factorial randomized trial. Front Sports Act Living. 2024 May 7;6:1383325. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1383325. eCollection 2024.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 38774280 (View on PubMed)

de Lima NS, De Sousa RAL, Amorim FT, Gripp F, Diniz E Magalhaes CO, Henrique Pinto S, Peixoto MFD, Monteiro-Junior RS, Bourbeau K, Cassilhas RC. Moderate-intensity continuous training and high-intensity interval training improve cognition, and BDNF levels of middle-aged overweight men. Metab Brain Dis. 2022 Feb;37(2):463-471. doi: 10.1007/s11011-021-00859-5. Epub 2021 Nov 11.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 34762211 (View on PubMed)

Tsai CL, Pai MC, Ukropec J, Ukropcova B. The Role of Physical Fitness in the Neurocognitive Performance of Task Switching in Older Persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment. J Alzheimers Dis. 2016 Apr 23;53(1):143-59. doi: 10.3233/JAD-151093.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 27128369 (View on PubMed)

Martin-Smith R, Cox A, Buchan DS, Baker JS, Grace F, Sculthorpe N. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Improves Cardiorespiratory Fitness (CRF) in Healthy, Overweight and Obese Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Studies. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Apr 24;17(8):2955. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17082955.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 32344773 (View on PubMed)

Wu Q, Niu X, Zhang Y, Song J, Chi A. A Comparative Study of Inhibition Function between High-Intensity Interval Training and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training in Healthy People: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 6;20(4):2859. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20042859.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 36833556 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

REC/0268 Sadia Khalid

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id