Personalized walking and memory programs for older Veterans with slow gait and memory worries
Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome: Refining Treatment Strategies and Testing Feasibility to Personalize Treatment for Older Veterans
This project is testing two programs—Functional Power Training and Music-Based Digital Therapy—to help older Veterans who walk slowly and have early memory complaints.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Boston Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11301803 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are an older Veteran who walks more slowly than before and are noticing memory or thinking problems, this project will try two treatments: Functional Power Training (FPT), a targeted exercise program to improve strength and walking, and Music-Based Digital Therapy (MBDT), a music-guided program to support movement and cognition. Participants (about 54 Veterans) will enter a pilot SMART design where they are initially assigned to a treatment and non-responders may be switched or given combined treatments to find the best sequence for each person. The team will collect walking measures, cognitive questionnaires, and adherence data to refine practical treatment manuals. The aim is to create personalized care plans that clinicians can use for Veterans with Motoric Cognitive Risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Older Veterans with Motoric Cognitive Risk—marked by slower gait speed and self-reported memory or thinking concerns but not full dementia—are the best candidates.
Not a fit: People with advanced dementia, severe mobility impairments that prevent exercise, or those unable to attend in-person visits at VA Boston are unlikely to benefit from this pilot.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help older Veterans slow declines in walking and thinking and tailor treatments to each person.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies indicate FPT and music-based therapies can improve walking and sometimes cognition, but applying a SMART design to personalize these treatments for MCR is a novel pilot approach.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- VA Boston Health Care System — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ogawa, Elisa — VA Boston Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Ogawa, Elisa
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.