Back to search results

Walking Exercise for Mild Cognitive Impairment and Chronic Kidney Disease

This study is looking at whether a 6-month home-based walking exercise program can improve memory and brain function in older adults. You might be able to join if you are over 55, have mild cognitive impairment (problems with memory or thinking), and chronic kidney disease (stage 3-4). Researchers will compare the walking program to health education and stretching. Success will be measured by changes in your executive function (planning and problem-solving), processing speed, and attention after 6 months. The study plans to enroll 144 participants, but its current status is unclear.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 144 participants. You would be randomly assigned to either a home-based walking program or a health education and stretching group.
What's involved
You would undergo tests for heart health, physical function, memory, and brain imaging (MRI) at the start and again after 6 months. You would also receive a fitness tracker and telephone coaching during the 6-month program.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your cognitive function and processing speed will be measured at 6 months after starting the intervention.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT05655325

Accelerated Age-related Cognitive Decline: Impact of Exercise on Executive Function and Neuroplasticity

Recruiting
NAAges 55+InterventionalTreatment
Columbia University
~144 participants
Updated 2026-09-08 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Home-based walking exerciseAttention control

At a glance

Recruiting sites
2 of 2 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in Executive Function from baseline
Measured over Change from baseline at 6 months
+7 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Mild Cognitive Impairment
Chronic Kidney Diseases

Explore related trials

Chronic Kidney DiseaseMild cognitive disorder

NCT05655325

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 2 sites. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Columbia University

    New York, New Yorkstudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • Georgetown University

    Washington D.C., District of Columbiastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Study leadership

  • Ulf G Bronas, PhD · STUDY_CHAIR · Columbia University
  • Shayan Shirazian, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Columbia University

Who to contact

Ulf G Bronas, PhD
[email protected]
212-305-0750
Email the study team

Opens a ready-to-send draft in your own email app — review before sending.

Want this trial checked against your situation?

Add a private profile and we'll compare every criterion below against your situation — and tell you which ones are met, uncertain, or excluding.

Check eligibility for this trial ~2 min · HIPAA-protected · delete anytime
Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

• Diagnosed stage 3-4 chronic kidney disease (CKD, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \<60 to 20 ml/min);
\>55 yrs of age
Mild cognitive impairment (18-26 on the MOCA)
ability to undergo an MR
no history of major head trauma (No head trauma/concussion with loss of consciousness)
Speaks, reads, writes English

Exclusion

• Diagnosed Dementia or a Clinical Dementia Rating Scale score of \<2, or a MOCA of \<18
Participating in a supervised exercise program with intent to increase fitness levels 3 days/week,
Requires assistive ambulation
Limited exercise capacity due to claudication; unstable angina, severe arthritis, extreme dyspnea on exertion, unstable coronary artery disease
Class III-IV heart failure
History of uncontrolled sustained arrhythmias, severe/symptomatic aortic or mitral stenosis, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, severe pulmonary hypertension, active myocarditis/pericarditis, thrombophlebitis, and recent systemic/pulmonary embolus
Resting systolic BP \>200 mmHg or resting diastolic BP \>110 mmHg
Any unforeseen illness or disability that would preclude cognitive testing or exercise training
One or more contraindication for MRI; cardiac pacemaker, aneurysm clip, cochlear implants, shrapnel, history of metal fragments in eyes, neurostimulators, diagnosed claustrophobia (MRI only)
Any self-reported major psychiatric disorders requiring medical therapy (e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar disorder).
Self-reported new diagnosis of clinical depression within 3 months of enrollment or unstable clinical depression requiring medication adjustment within 3 months of enrollment

What this trial measures

  • Change in Executive Function from baselineChange from baseline at 6 months

    Composite score from Phonemic and Semantic Fluency total correct words; Trail Making Test Part B (TMT-B) time to completion; Digit Span subtest backwards total score. The composite executive functioning score will be created by converting these four individual executive cognitive scores (phonemic and Semantic fluency score), digit span backward subtest, and trail making test part B (following directionality conversion)) to standardized z scores and then averaging the standardized z scores. Z-score range from -3 to +3. Higher score is better.

  • Change in processing speed from baselineChange from baseline at 6 months

    Trail making test part A (TMT-A) time to completion in seconds. Faster completion is better.

  • Change in attention/information processing from baselineChange from baseline at 6 months

    Digit symbol substitution test total number correct. Higher number is better.

  • Change in Learning and Memory short recallChange from baseline at 6 months

    California verbal learning test-II, short recall total number of words correct. Higher number is better.

  • Change in Learning and Memory long recallChange from baseline at 6 months

    California verbal learning test-II long recall total number of words correct. Higher number is better.

  • Change in Learning and Memory learning slopeChange from baseline at 6 months

    California verbal learning test-II leaning slope (average number of new words recalled during five consecutive learning trials). Higher number is better.

  • Change in Learning and Memory recognition memory discriminationChange from baseline at 6 months

    California verbal learning test-II recognition memory discrimination total number of words correct. Higher number is better.

  • Change in global cognitive functionChange from Baseline to 6 months

    Composite score from Phonemic and Semantic Fluency total correct words; Trail Making Test Part B time to completion; Digit Span subtest backwards total score; Digit symbol substitution test total correct and trail making test part A time to completion; California verbal learning test-II, short and long recall, leaning slope, recognition memory discrimination total correct. The composite global cognitive score will be created by converting these 10 individual cognitive scores (following directionality change of TMT-A and TMT-B) to standardized z scores and then averaging the standardized z scores. Z score range from -3 to +3. Higher score is better.