RecruitingNot Applicable

Locomotion Adaptation Deficits in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimers Disease

United States10 participantsStarted 2025-07-22

Plain-language summary

In people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD), reduced capacity for locomotor adaptation is a fundamental but poorly understood mechanism that can be a sensitive biomarker of cognitive-motor impairments. It is also an important therapeutic target for exercise-based interventions to improve walking function. The overall goal of this study is to understand the effects of MCI and AD on locomotor adaptation and walking function.

Who can participate

Age range

50 Years – 90 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * AD and MCI will be defined through formal diagnosis provided by a board-certified Neurologist. Amnestic MCI will be defined using the AD Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) criteria. All MCI participants in ADNI are required to have an amnestic subtype defined as: * Subjective memory concern or a memory problem noted by their partner * Abnormal memory function documented by a specified education adjusted cutoff score on the delayed paragraph recall of the Anna Thompson story of the Logical Memory subtest from the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised * Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) score between 20 and 26 (inclusive). Exceptions may be made for subjects with less than 8 years of education at the discretion of the PI. (iv) Single or multi-domain amnestic MCI (both subtypes are at high risk for progression to AD) * Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) = 0.5 (Memory Box score must be at least 0.5) * General functional performance sufficiently preserved * Evidence of impaired executive function based on Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score 13-17 * Able to walk 10 or more feet without an assistive device * Completed six grades of education or has a good work history (sufficient to exclude intellectual disabilities) * Not hospitalized within the last 60 days Exclusion Criteria: * Acute medical illness requiring hospitalization * Uncontrolled congestive heart failure * History of stroke * Inability to perform study procedures * Medical or physical conditions t…

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Change in Adaptation Magnitude Assessed as Peak Step Length Symmetry

Timeframe: Baseline (Pre-training), Week 2 (Post-training)

Change in Adaptation Rate Assessed as the Number of Steps to Reach Step Symmetry

Timeframe: Baseline (Pre-training), Week 2 (Post-training)

Change in 10-Meter Overground Walk Test

Timeframe: Baseline (Pre-training), Week 2 (Post-training)

Change in 6-Minute Walk Test

Timeframe: Baseline (Pre-training), Week 2 (Post-training)

Change in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Score

Timeframe: Baseline (Pre-training), Week 2 (Post-training)

Change in NIH-EXAMINER n-back Task Accuracy

Timeframe: Baseline (Pre-training), Week 2 (Post-training)

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06484244

SponsorEmory University

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2026-12-31

Contact for this trial

Trisha Kesar, PT, PhD

(404) 712-5803 tkesar@emory.edu

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Alzheimers Disease trials

Plain-language summary

Who can participate

Age range

50 Years – 90 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

What they're measuring

Change in Adaptation Magnitude Assessed as Peak Step Length Symmetry

Timeframe: Baseline (Pre-training), Week 2 (Post-training)

Change in Adaptation Rate Assessed as the Number of Steps to Reach Step Symmetry

Timeframe: Baseline (Pre-training), Week 2 (Post-training)

Change in 10-Meter Overground Walk Test

Timeframe: Baseline (Pre-training), Week 2 (Post-training)

Change in 6-Minute Walk Test

Timeframe: Baseline (Pre-training), Week 2 (Post-training)

Change in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Score

Timeframe: Baseline (Pre-training), Week 2 (Post-training)

Change in NIH-EXAMINER n-back Task Accuracy

Timeframe: Baseline (Pre-training), Week 2 (Post-training)