Treadmill walking versus treadmill plus dual-task training for people with Alzheimer's
Official title: Comparison of the Effects of Treadmill-Based Walking and Dual-Task Walking Training on Activity and Cognition in Alzheimer's Disease
Run by Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa · NCT06731049 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether adding cognitive tasks to treadmill walking helps people with early-to-mid stage Alzheimer's improve walking, balance, and thinking more than treadmill walking alone.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 65 Years to 85 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 46 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Istanbul) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 1, 2027 |
| Study ends | December 1, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | March 31, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06731049 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are people with early-to-middle-stage Alzheimer's who are on stable Alzheimer’s medication, can walk at least 400 meters, and can read and understand Turkish instructions.
✕Probably not a fit
People with other types of dementia, unstable medical conditions, significant pulmonary/neurological/musculoskeletal issues that limit walking, recent participation in structured exercise, or severe vision/hearing problems may not benefit or be eligible.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Participants with early-to-middle-stage Alzheimer's will be assigned to one of two eight-week programs performed twice weekly: treadmill walking alone or treadmill walking combined with progressively challenging cognitive and motor tasks (dual-task). Functional mobility, walking speed, balance, activities of daily living, cognitive function, and dual-task performance will be measured before and after the training period. Training is individualized and progressively intensified for the dual-task group to target both motor and cognitive skills. The results will compare whether dual-task treadmill training produces greater improvements in combined motor-cognitive outcomes and independence than treadmill-only training.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, adding cognitive tasks to treadmill walking could improve walking, balance, and thinking and help people with Alzheimer's maintain greater independence in daily life.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research on dual-task exercise has reported improvements in walking and cognition, though treadmill-based dual-task training is a less extensively studied and emerging approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease according to the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria by a neurologist, 2. In the early or middle stages of the disease according to the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR), 3. Receiving medical treatment for Alzheimer's disease (e.g., cholinesterase inhibitors or memantine) for at least the past month, 4. Able to walk at least 400 meters in the 6-Minute Walk Test, indicating functional mobility, 5. Able to read and understand instructions given in Turkish. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Having Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, or other types of dementia 2. Participating in a structured exercise program within the 6 months prior to starting the study 3. Having pulmonary, neurological, musculoskeletal, or rheumatological diseases that hinder walking 4. Having an unstable medical condition (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension, deep vein thrombosis, etc.) 5. Having visual or auditory impairments that make communication difficult 6. Having behavioral problems that make participation in exercise difficult
Where it's running
-
İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa
Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye) Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Kübra Nur Menengiç, MSc
- Email: kmenengic@gmail.com
- Phone: +90 216 547 26 00
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.