Can moderate aerobic exercise combined with mild brain stimulation boost motor-cortex plasticity in older adults?
Influence of Physical Exercise on Neuroplasticity and Sensorimotor Networks in Older Adults
NA · Universite du Littoral Cote d'Opale · NCT07438808
We will see if a single session of moderate aerobic exercise, alone or followed by mild brain stimulation (tDCS), helps boost motor-cortex plasticity in healthy older adults compared with younger adults.
Quick facts
| Phase | NA |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 66 (estimated) |
| Ages | 20 Years to 80 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Universite du Littoral Cote d'Opale (other) |
| Locations | 1 site (Loos, Nord) |
| Trial ID | NCT07438808 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Healthy young (20–35) and older (65–80) adults will take part in three laboratory sessions in a randomized crossover design. In different sessions participants will complete a single bout of moderate aerobic exercise or a period of physical inactivity, each followed by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Neurophysiological testing using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) will measure corticospinal excitability, intracortical circuits, and sensorimotor integration before and after each condition. The study compares how exercise alone and exercise plus tDCS change motor cortex neuroplasticity in older versus young adults.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are healthy adults aged 20–35 or 65–80 who can understand French, give informed consent, are affiliated with social security, and have no contraindications to TMS/tDCS or moderate aerobic exercise.
Not a fit: People with neurological disorders (e.g., epilepsy, stroke, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s), major psychiatric illness, significant cognitive impairment, contraindications to brain stimulation, or inability to perform moderate exercise are unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could point to simple, low‑cost ways—combining exercise with noninvasive brain stimulation—to help preserve or improve motor learning and function in older adults.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies show aerobic exercise can enhance markers of cortical plasticity and early work combining exercise with tDCS is promising but limited, so applying this combined approach specifically in older adults is partly novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Men or women aged 20 to 35 for the younger group and 65 to 80 for the older group. * Healthy right-handed or left-handed subjects. * Subjects who have signed an informed consent form. * Ability to understand spoken and written French to follow study procedures. * Subjects affiliated with or beneficiaries of a social security system. Exclusion Criteria: * History of psychaitric disorders : individuals with mental retardation or severe impairment of cognitive, behavioral, or emotional functions that prevent them from understanding the protocol and signing the informed consent form. * Neurological history (epilepsy, stroke, brain or spinal cord surgery, and history of neurological diseases affecting motor skills and sensitivity, such as multiple sclerosis, neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's). * Inability to give informed consent (e.g., dementia, significant hearing impairment, insufficient language proficiency). * Contraindications to TMS and tDCS : uncontrolled epilepsy, intracranial metallic foreign body, hearing aid or cochlear implant, implanted stimulator or pump, scalp skin lesion, high intracranial pressure, cerebrospinal fluid shunt). * Presence of a cardiac pacemaker or other implanted electronic medical device. * Use of psychotropic drugs. * Individuals under legal guardianship or curatorship. * Pregnant and breastfeeding women. * Inability or recognized contraindication to physical activity.
Where this trial is running
Loos, Nord
- Eurasport — Loos, Nord, France (RECRUITING)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Hervé Devanne, Pr
- Email: herve.devanne@univ-littoral.fr
- Phone: +33 6 76 32 12 84
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions: tDCS, Physical Activity + tDCS, Physical Inactivity + tDCS, Corticospinal Excitability, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Physical Exercise, Aerobic Exercise