None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The aim of this study is to identify and compare the efficacy and time-course of three different centrally demanding interventions (challenging balance; visuomotor; and externally-paced strength training) at inducing use-dependent neuroplasticity and driving functional improvements in community dwelling older adults aged 65 years and over. It is hypothesised that a single training session (independent of training type) will induce transient increases in corticospinal excitability and reductions in inhibition, and that older adults will experience use dependent neuroplasticity over the 12-week intervention period compared to a control group, It is further hypothesised that changes in the performance of lower-limb physical tasks will be dependent on the specific training group; and that neurological adaptations and changes to lower-limb task performance will decay after four weeks of no training. The results from this trial will provide insight into the potential for centrally demanding interventions to exploit the flexibility of the central nervous system's of older adults, and induce positive training related improvements in functional ability.
Interventions
This is a randomised controlled trial targeting community dwelling men and women aged 65+ years. The study consists of four groups: 1) Challenging balance; 2) Visuomotor (skill training); 3) Externally-paced strength training; and 4) Usual care control group. Due to limited availability of training facilities and human resources, the study will be conducted over two years, Data collection and the intervention will occur between January and June of 2013 and 2014, respectively. Participants recrui
This is a randomised controlled trial targeting community dwelling men and women aged 65+ years. The study consists of four groups: 1) Challenging balance; 2) Visuomotor (skill training); 3) Externally-paced strength training; and 4) Usual care control group. Due to limited availability of training facilities and human resources, the study will be conducted over two years, Data collection and the intervention will occur between January and June of 2013 and 2014, respectively. Participants recruited during year 1 will be randomly allocated to either intervention group 1 or 2, while participants recruited during year 2 will be randomly allocated to either intervention group 3 or 4. Participants randomised to intervention group 1-3 will be asked to complete three 45-minute supervised training sessions per week for 12 weeks in a purpose-designed facility at Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria. All sessions will be administered as group training sessions, and supervised by the Principle Investigator (Bach Ex Sci (Hons)). Testing for the acute effects of the training sessions will occur at baseline, 5-minutes, 30-minutes, and 60-minutes post-completion of training session 1. Testing for the chronic effects of the training interventions will occur at baseline; and weeks 4, 8, and 12 throughout the intervention period, as well as at week 16 to evaluate the residual effects of the interventions. Group 1 will be asked to complete four rounds of 12 x 30-second functional balance tasks with varying stance conditions (i.e. single or double-legged), vision (i.e. eyes open or eyes closed), and surface stability (i.e. rigid ground surface or dura-disc). Challenges in the form of a physical perturbation will be introduced to progressively overload the balance requirements of the tasks throughout the intervention period. This mode of training will involve approximately 24 minutes of 'work time' and 21 minutes of 'rest time' during the 45 minute session. Group 2 will complete five rounds of eight visuomotor tracking conditions requiring participants to match dorsiflexion and plantarflexion ankle movements of varying ankle joint ranges of movement (from 60 to 120 degrees) and movement frequencies (from 0.2 to 1.4 Hz) to a target reference limb as displayed on a monitor. This mode of training will involve approximately 24 minutes of 'work time' and 21 minutes of 'rest time' during the 45 minute session. Group 3 will complete four sets of five functional lower-limb strengthening exercises at a load of 8-12 repetition maximum in a dual-task condition involving external pacing with an audible metronome set to 60Hz. Four sets of 12 repetitions per exercise will involve approximately 24 minutes of 'work time' and 21 minutes of 'rest time' during the 45 minute session. All training sessions will be conducted by the principle investigator, and adherence will be recorded on individual data record cards for each participant by the researcher.
Sponsors
Deakin University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Community dwelling men and women who are right leg dominant (as determined by the Waterloo Footedness Questionnaire); free of any musculoskeletal injuries or neurological impairments; Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score >25 (no cognitive impairment); not taking any medications known to influence neurological function (e.g. antipsychotic, antidepressant, anxiety medications); and not participating in any organised training activities including strength training in the past 12 months.
Exclusion criteria
Left leg dominant (as determined by the Waterloo Footedness Questionnaire); musculoskeletal injuries or pain that may be exacerbated by inclusion in the study; any medical condition that may be contraindicated for TMS (e.g. migraines, seizures); neurological impairments that may alter assessment of neurological function, including cognitive impairment (MMSE score <25); the use of medications known to influence neurological function (e.g. antipsychotic, antidepressant, anxiety medications); and participation in organised training activities including strength training within the last 12 months.
Outcome results
None listed