Impact of cognitive tasks on balance in COPD patients

Influence of Cognitive Load on Postural Control in People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Observational Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Toulon La Seyne sur Mer · NCT06863246

This study tests how doing mental tasks affects balance in people with COPD compared to healthy volunteers.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment36 (estimated)
Ages40 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorCentre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Toulon La Seyne sur Mer Academic / other
Locations1 site (Toulon, VAR)
Trial IDNCT06863246 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This observational study investigates how cognitive tasks affect postural control in individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). It aims to understand the relationship between cognitive demands and balance by analyzing center of pressure displacement during various conditions, including both cognitive and non-cognitive tasks. Participants will include both COPD patients and healthy volunteers, with assessments conducted under different visual and cognitive scenarios. The study seeks to provide insights into the complexities of maintaining balance while performing mental tasks, which is often encountered in daily life.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include French-speaking individuals aged 40 and over with stable COPD classified as GOLD II-IV and a minimum MMSE score of 26.

Not a fit: Patients with severe cognitive impairments or those with exacerbated COPD conditions may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to improved strategies for fall prevention and enhanced quality of life for patients with COPD.

How similar studies have performed: While studies have explored postural control in COPD, this specific approach integrating cognitive tasks is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

COPD patients :

* GOLD II - III or IV
* FEV1 \<80% of predicted values
* Men and women aged 40 years and over
* French-speaking participant
* BMI \<30 kg / m²
* Stable condition (i.e. without exacerbation) for more than 15 days
* Able to express their consent in writing prior to any participation in the study
* Affiliates or beneficiaries of a social security
* Minimum score of 26 on the MMSE questionnaire of 3 months or less

Healthy volunteers :

* Men and women aged 40 years and over
* French-speaking participant
* BMI \<30 kg / m²
* No known chronic respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic, renal or neuromuscular pathologies
* Able to express their consent in writing prior to any participation in the study
* Affiliates or beneficiaries of a social security
* Minimum score of 26 on the MMSE questionnaire of 3 months or less

For all participants :

-Subject who has not objected to the reuse of data collected

Exclusion Criteria:

* COPD patients :
* Alcoholism, i.e. \> 21 glasses a week for men and \>14 glasses a week for women
* Psychiatric pathologies or antecedent of behavioral disorders
* Patients treated with oral or systemic corticosteroids (\> 0.5 mg / kg / day for \> 7 days)
* Contraindication to the application of a magnetic field (i.e. right hip arthroplasty, pelvic / abdominal surgeries)
* Severe vision or hearing problems not corrected
* Patient oxygen dependent
* Patients in exclusion period from another research protocol
* Pregnant women (known pregnancy) or lactating women
* Patient deprived of liberty by a judicial or administrative decision
* Patient subject to a legal protection measure or unable to express their consent
* Patient who is not sufficiently fluent in reading and understanding the French language to be able to consent to participate in the study
* Patient unable to follow study procedures and to respect visits throughout the study period
* Person with a medical history that, in the opinion of the investigator, could interfere with the results of the study
* Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, could increase and compromise the safety of the person in the event that he / she participates in the study
* Any other reason that, in the opinion of the investigator, could interfere with the evaluation of the aims of the study

Healthy volunteers:

* Alcoholism, i.e. \> 21 glasses a week for men and \>14 glasses a week for women
* Psychiatric pathologies or antecedent of behavioral disorders
* Patients treated with oral or systemic corticosteroids (\> 0.5 mg / kg / day for \> 7 days)
* Contraindication to the application of a magnetic field (i.e. right hip arthroplasty, pelvic / abdominal surgeries)
* Severe vision or hearing problems not corrected
* Subjects in exclusion period from another research protocol
* Pregnant women (known pregnancy) or lactating women
* Regular physical activity with a frequency greater than 3 sessions per week
* Participant deprived of liberty by a judicial or administrative decision
* Participant subject to a legal protection measure or unable to express their consent
* Participant who is not sufficiently fluent in reading and understanding the French language to be able to consent to participate in the study
* Participant unable to follow study procedures and to respect visits throughout the study period
* Person with a medical history that, in the opinion of the investigator, could interfere with the results of the study
* Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, could increase and compromise the safety of the person in the event that he / she participates in the study
* Any other reason that, in the opinion of the investigator, could interfere with the evaluation of the aims of the study

Where this trial is running

Toulon, VAR

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary DiseaseCOPDPostural controlVariabilityNon-linearCognitive taskStatic balance
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.