Cognitive walking plus mild brain stimulation to improve thinking and walking in older adults
Cognitively engaging walking exercise and neuromodulation to enhance brain function in older adults
Combines mentally engaging aerobic walking with gentle prefrontal brain stimulation to help older adults improve thinking and walking.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11320849 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would do walking exercises that include mentally challenging tasks while receiving a mild, noninvasive electrical stimulation to the front of the brain (tDCS). The team pairs complex aerobic walking sessions with tDCS aimed at boosting prefrontal networks that support planning, attention, and walking control. This Phase 2 project builds on an earlier Phase 1 that showed the approach is safe and feasible and now looks for initial signs that it actually improves thinking and mobility. Visits will take place at the University of Florida and include supervised exercise and short testing of thinking and walking.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults with age-related memory or executive difficulties and some walking slowness or instability who can walk safely and attend clinic sessions.
Not a fit: People with advanced dementia, who cannot walk safely, or who have implanted electronic devices or certain neurological conditions may not be eligible or likely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could improve executive thinking, speed and steadiness of walking, and lower fall risk in older adults.
How similar studies have performed: Small earlier studies, including the team's Phase 1 trial, showed safety and promising improvements, but larger trials are still needed to confirm benefits.
Where this research is happening
Gainesville, United States
- University of Florida — Gainesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Clark, David J — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Clark, David J
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.