In this study, we are looking at the effects of six months of exercise training on cognitive performance. We are specifically looking at these things in healthy adults ages 55-80.

We begin with an initial orientation visit lasting approximately 2 hours via Zoom. During this visit we go over the consent form with you and will ask you to complete a series of questionnaires and paper-and-pencil tests. A mock MRI can be scheduled after this visit if the participant is not sure they will be comfortable in the MRI machine

From there, the study will be divided into four phases.
Here is a brief outline of what each phase would involve:

Phase 1 will contain 6 separate visits lasting 1-2 hours each:
• One visit to perform a short test to perform a maximal aerobic fitness test on a stationary bicycle
• The second visit we will ask to perform a short test on you to measure arterial stiffness and heart health
• The third visit will include several computerized memory tasks
• The fourth visit will include several computerized learning tasks
• The fifth visit will include having an MRI before and after a 30 minute exercise portion
• The sixth visit will also include having an MRI before and after a 30 minute exercise portion

Phase 2 will contain 24 weeks of supervised exercise training:
• For the duration of the 24 weeks, we will ask you to complete three exercise sessions per week
• You will exercise for 50 minutes in each session
• For the first session, we ask that you come to our lab to complete the exercise session and be given instructions on how to complete the training at home
• For the remainder of your program, we will ask you to come into our lab once a month if comfortable doing so and do the remaining sessions on your own

Phase 3 will contain the same 5 visits you completed before the training:
• The first visit to perform a short test to perform a maximal aerobic fitness test on a stationary bicycle
• The second visit to perform a short test to measure arterial stiffness and heart health
• The third visit will include having a 1-hour MRI scan
• The fourth visit will include several computerized memory tasks
• The fifth visit will include several computerized learning tasks

Phase 4 will be a follow-up a year after completing all of the visits in Phase 3. For this phase we will ask that you fill out an online survey and wear our activity monitoring watch for 8 days.

All in all the only sessions that would need to take place during normal working hours are the health assessment visits (4 total), the two MRI sessions during Phase 1 and the final 1 hour MRI scan. All of the other sessions can be scheduled outside of normal working hours. Compensation for the study is estimated to receive $333 for participation plus $61 for parking ($394 total).

This study is now completed. The status for the study and reports of results will be updated regularly at the study site on ClinicalTrials.gov: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03114150 and our study repository on Open Science Framework https://osf.io/ywcq5/.